The room goes silent as Ryker and Mikael walk over to me.
"How's your head?" my mate asks.
I shake it to clear some of the fog trying to stick around, but I growl, "I'm fine. What's the damage?"
The two of them look at each other before turning back to me.
This time it's Ryker who answers, "There are thirteen dead humans and triple that number of dead vamps."
I scoot out of Victor's protective arms and stand so I can pace. It's not a very fast pace considering I lied, and my head hurts like a mother fucker. It just doesn't make any sense. I begin thinking out loud without realizing it, "None of this shit makes sense. When did we start to turn on our own kind? What kind of fucked up is that? And how the fuck did we not see this coming? Weren't they all checked in and run through fucking security?" I aim the last at the room and, several of them flinch away from the fury in my voice.
"We didn't think to check their mouths, my lady," Ryker snaps back, willing to accepting my anger.
I throw my hands up in exasperation, "Of course you didn't. Why the fuck would you? WE DON'T KILL OUR OWN!" My yell echoes around the room right before I slam my fist into a lamp and send it soaring across the room. It smashes into the wall and I feel a little better. Fucking hated that lamp anyways.
"Love," Brandon says sidling up beside me and taking my hand in his, "It's not going to help anything by destroying everything in the house."
I know he's trying to calm me down, but that just pisses me off even further, "And why not, huh? It's not like we're going to be living here now. We'll have to run off to hide in a fucking hovel somewhere like Mel."
Ryker steps towards me, but Mikael and Victor step chest to chest with him, intercepting his path. He won't hurt me. I know this for a fact, but I don't trust him when it comes to my mates. He'll cut down anyone in his path for simply blinking at him wrong.
Trying to defuse the situation when what I really want to do is start a fucking bonfire, I growl, "I didn't mean anything by that and you know it. I fucking love her to death. I'm just not made for hiding. We shouldn't have to tuck tail and run."
"You don't have a fucking choice," Ryker spits at me. "Hate to ruin your little princess fantasy you have going on, but what do you think is going to happen when the media catches wind of this? Not to fucking mention the dead bodies littering your fucking ballroom."
I flip him the bird. It's not the most mature thing I could've done, sure, but I can't take anymore of him tonight.
He sneers and walks out. The rest of Mel's coven starts to file out behind him.
"Thank you," I tell them earnestly, knowing good and damn well that Ryker can still hear me.
I wait until they're all gone to turn to my mates, "Now what?"
"Now," Victor starts, coming to stand with Brandon and me. He waits until Mikael makes his way to us before continuing, "Now, we clean up this mess, and then we get the hell out of dodge."
Dedication
This story is dedication to my Weird Sister for always being there through thick and thin. Love your face so hard!
And for you, the reader! Thanks for being awesome and loving my stories!
ABOUT BRANDY SLAVEN
Brandy Slaven lives in Tennessee with her husband and two wild children. If you can't find her typing away words, you will find her with her nose in a book at the beach or hiking at one of the state parks.
OTHER BOOKS BY
BRANDY SLAVEN
Lady of Darkness Series
Of Death And Darkness
In Dreams Of Despair
White Trash Trilogy
Reviving Kendall
Refusing Kendall
Divinely Damned Series
The Arbiter
HAUNTED DELIGHTS
BY
BETHANY JADIN
HAUNTED DELIGHTS
BY BETHANY JADIN
It’s Halloween, the perfect time for frightful fun and steamy surprises — and Emma’s ready to enjoy a festive night out with her men.
When her best friend’s charity throws a swanky All Hallows’ Eve ball, Emma convinces Jax and Gunner to attend with her. However, they're in for a shock because they’ve left Emma in charge of their costumes and she’s come up with something hilariously unexpected.
But the guys have some tricks up their sleeves, too. It is that time of year, after all. The night is young, and this trio’s devilish adventures are just beginning…
Haunted Delights is an exclusive story featuring favorite characters from The Code, a romantic suspense reverse harem series. You’re invited to a wickedly delightful evening — from an adults-only costume party to a twisted take on a haunted house, this story is full of more tasty treats than you can fit in a candy bag.
HAUNTED DELIGHTS
BY BETHANY JADIN
© COPYRIGHT 2018 BETHANY JADIN
All rights reserved under the International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. 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 publisher, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters, and incidents are either the product of the authors’ imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, organizations, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
Warning: the unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 4 years in prison and a fine of $250,000.
CHAPTER ONE
Emma
“What. The fuck. Is this?”
I can’t suppress a laugh when I hear Jax’s deep voice call out from the bedroom. Gunner pauses his activities at the bathroom sink and turns to me, white foam on his lips, toothbrush mid-air.
“Uh oh. What did you do?” he mumbles through the mouthful of water and toothpaste.
I grin. “Nothing.”
“Bullshit.”
Still grinning, I just shrug as I reach past the big guy and grab a hair tie from the counter. He’ll see soon enough.
Trigg and Daniel are on either side of Gunner, and they’re smiling devilishly, too. They helped me obtain Gunner and Jax’s measurements for the Halloween party and insisted on knowing exactly what I was planning. They’ve been sworn to secrecy, but I think they’re almost as excited as I am to see how the costumes will look.
Jude steps out of the shower and reaches for a towel. “Was that my brother I just heard?”
I nod with a smile as I pull my hair back into a simple ponytail. “I believe he just found his costume.”
“I’m guessing you didn’t wind up going with zombies?” Jude lifts both eyebrows.
“Hey, if your brother didn’t want to wear tights, he shouldn’t have let me pick the costumes.”
Gunner nearly chokes on his toothbrush. “Tights? For Jax?”
“Oh, that’s not all,” I promise with a wicked smile. Before he can respond, I cinch my robe tightly and slip out of sight, heading into our communal bedroom.
Jax is standing at the foot of our massive, six-person bed, hands on hips, looking down at the four items. He glances at me as I enter, his face drawn into a dubious expression. “Please tell me this is Gunner’s costume.”
I join him at the bed and wave a hand at the leather tunic. “Do the shoulders on that look wide enough for Gunner?”
“Fuck.” Jax closes his eyes and rubs his face then stares down at the costume again, like he’s hoping it’s morphed into something different. He nudges the pointy green hat with a red feather, a little hope coming into his eyes. “So, I’m dressing as Robin Hood?”
I turn to him, sliding one hand across his chest while gently tugging on his full beard with the other. “Robin Hood would
go great with this wild bush you’ve got going on, but no. You, good sir, are attending this fundraiser as Peter Pan.”
His eyes widen, skepticism etched across his brow. “Peter-fucking-Pan? Are you serious?”
Jax’s twin marches into the room, still as naked as the day he was born. Jude slaps his brother’s shoulder, amused to no end with Jax’s discomfort. “Come on, man, it’s for charity. Take one for the team.”
“Easy for you to say, asshole — you don’t have to put those on.” Jax points to the thick green tights laid out on the bed.
Jude smirks. “It’s one night. It won’t kill you.”
Unconvinced, Jax scowls at his brother. “Or, you know… I could write a big fat check and go as myself.”
“No,” I insist. “You don’t get to just put on jeans and your riding leathers and call it a day. You agreed to this.”
Jax shakes his head. “The hell I did. I never agreed to wearing tights.”
I sit down on the edge of the bed beside his costume and squint at him playfully. “You said I could decide which famous trio we’d go as.”
“And you just had to choose one that put me in tights, yeah?”
I tilt my head and smile sweetly. “It was that, or you were dressing up as a hot blonde. I almost went with Charlie’s Angels.”
“Jesus Christ.” The alarm in Jax’s expression makes me laugh with glee at the image.
Jude chuckles, too. “Now that would have been perfect. Especially if you arrived on your Harley.”
Jax flips his twin off before returning his attention to me. “So, if I’m going as Peter Pan, then you’re going as Tinker Bell, right? I could maybe get on board with this plan if it means you’ll be wearing a short little fairy thing and some sexy fishnet stockings.”
“Not quite,” I say, bouncing off the bed. I pull the coat hanger off the hook behind the bedroom door and hold the long, blue nightgown against my body. “I’m going as your Wendy.”
The twins stare at me in confusion for a moment before realization dawns on them both.
“So that means…” Jude says slowly, his eyes lighting up, and he looks back and forth between me and his brother.
“Yes, indeed,” I confirm, my grin filled with the delight of a child bounding down the stairs on Christmas morning.
“Holy shit, now I really regret not being able to go,” Jude says, shaking his head in amazement.
“Gunner! Get your ass in here!” Jax yells.
“What’s all the ruckus about?” Gunner asks as he enters the bedroom. Trigg and Daniel trail behind him, barely disguised expressions of anticipation on their faces.
All eyes are on Gunner as Jax asks, “Any clue who you’re going to this party dressed as?”
“I assume something rad that highlights these babies,” Gunner says, flexing his massive biceps. “The Hulk maybe? You know, all green with nothing but little pieces of cloth here and there.”
“Oh, you’re gonna be green, alright,” Jude snickers. “And it’s a good thing you’re not planning to wear much.”
Gunner’s eyes narrow. “What’s that mean?”
The twins look at me expectantly while Trigg and Daniel chuckle not-so-quietly.
“What the hell are you two laughing at?” Gunner asks, looking more bewildered by the second.
I hold up a finger. “Just a second, I’ll get your costume.” I disappear into the walk-in closet. A moment later, I emerge with Gunner’s attire.
Gunner just stares at the delicate scraps of sparkling fabric with disbelief while the rest of the guys erupt into loud laughter.
Trigg’s doubled over, trying to catch his breath. “Oh my God, it’s better than I imagined!”
“Are those… wings?” Gunner asks.
“Fairy wings,” Jude corrects, holding his stomach from laughing so hard.
Gunner punches him hard in the shoulder. “Trying to imply something?”
“Well, if the wings fit…” Daniel says before quickly ducking out of Gunner’s reach.
“Fuck all of you,” Gunner says with a menacing growl, but he takes the costume from me and runs a hand along the tutu, his fingers trailing across the petal-shaped layers of bright, glittery green satin and soft mesh. He glances at Jax’s iconic costume then at the blue nightgown I’m still holding. “I’m Tinker Bell, right?”
“Yes,” I nod, watching that glint of amusement I love growing in his eyes as he turns his gaze back to the sparkling outfit in his hands. “You game?”
“Hell yeah,” he says with an excited nod.
I break out in a big smile, because I knew he’d be up for it. If there is one man who doesn’t mind an entire ballroom full of people staring at him questionably, it’s Gunner.
He touches the top of the fairy ensemble, adorned with sequins across the bust of the corset and flowery ruffles on the thin shoulder straps, then fingers the sheer, white pantyhose I’ve draped across the hanger.
“You know, I’m going to be the biggest guy in the room. Will this thing even fit? It looks like it’s made for one of my thighs.”
I size my big man up, letting my eyes linger on his wide, muscular form. I was suspicious when I first saw the outfit as well, but I was assured that it’s made of stretchy material and tailored to his exact measurements.
“I can help you get into it, pantyhose and all,” I promise. “You just start at the toes and roll. Come on, take that towel off.”
Gunner never has to be told twice to get naked. He drops the towel and plops down on the bed. I take a moment to appreciate his ample package and feel a twinge of jealousy, because there’s no way this outfit is going to leave any fodder for the imagination. Every woman in the place will have their eyes on my men tonight.
Gunner will be in his element — he loves showboating his goods. He doesn’t have a shy bone in his body. Jax on the other hand… he prefers to be the guy standing in the corner, quietly scowling behind his leather jacket as he keeps a watch on things. Tonight, he’s going to have to step out of his comfort zone, so it’s a good thing I know Gunner’s enthusiasm will eventually win Jax over, too.
I bunch the pantyhose up around my fingers and kneel in front of Gunner so I can begin rolling it up, starting at the toes of his left foot. My activity prompts Jax to pick up his dark green tights and examine them, his lips forming a grimace and one eyebrow cocked in that characteristic expression both of the twins make when they’re doubtful.
Inch by inch, I ease the stretchy material up Gunner’s legs, amazed with how well the delicate fabric spreads over his massive thighs and hugs every crease and bulge of his muscular form. He stands and wiggles as we both work the hose over his firm ass. He reaches into the front of the thin material and adjusts his package.
Stepping back to check my work, I stand beside Jax, who is appraising our lover with arms crossed, his green tights balled up in one hand. His eyes are glued to the well-defined bulge between Gunner’s legs.
“Looks good, right?” I say with a elbow nudge to his side. “Sure you don’t want to wear those tights?”
The shake of his head is emphatic. “Fuck no. I don’t want everyone to see my shit.” He points at Gunner’s package. “Seriously, man, that pantyhose is hugging your balls like they’re on fucking display at Macy’s or something.”
Gunner’s face lights up like fireworks at New Years. He walks over to the closet door and opens it to reveal the full-length mirror. He turns one way and then another, appraising his mostly naked form.
“Dude. This makes my cock look huge,” he says with fascinated glee.
“Dude,” I counter. “Your cock is huge.”
He turns from the mirror and gives me a wink while cupping his package. “Like what ya see, do ya?”
Jude rubs his forehead. “Christ, would you finish getting dressed before that pantyhose rips and snaps off you like a slingshot and puts someone’s eye out?”
Gunner struts over to the bed while the rest of the guys shake their heads and chuck
le at his swagger. He reaches for the tutu and the bustier top and holds them out to me.
“Here, help me with the rest of this so I can get those wings on. This is going to be awesome. And you.” Gunner narrows in on Jax with a firm look. “You’re wearing those tights. Your junk will look epic.”
“No fucking way. I’ll keep my epic junk tucked right here inside these jeans.” Jax’s arms are still crossed.
I wrap a hand around one of Jax’s arms and tug gently. “Come over here,” I say encouragingly.
Jax begrudgingly allows me to lead him back to the bed, where the rest of his costume is still laid out. I knew he wouldn’t feel as brazen as Gunner about wearing a revealing costume, so I made sure to order an extra-long green leather tunic. If the seamstress followed the measurements, it should reach to the lower part of his thighs, just a few inches above his knees.
I take the tights from him and stretch the costume out more fully on the bed, draping the custom-made tunic over the tights then adding the wide belt on top. Finally, I slide the blade of the dirk into its leather sheath hanging from the belt.
“See? You and your epic package will be covered.” I step back and wave a hand to illustrate my point. “It’ll just show off your legs and these sexy arms. Or…” I snuggle up to Jax’s side and lower my voice seductively, “…you could skip the tights and just wear the tunic and your boots. That would be hot as hell.”
Jax narrows his eyes into a dubious glare, but Gunner follows my lead and delivers a hard smack to Jax’s ass then spreads his fingers, grabbing a big handful of flesh through his jeans.
“I wouldn’t mind having full access to what’s under that tunic,” Gunner whispers into Jax’s ear. “Whaddya say?”
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