Winter Tails: A Limited Edition Winter Shifters Collection

by Fox, Piper

He fingered some loose hairs by her ear as he continued in an apparent teasing voice. “You know, Presley, I also graduated from college yesterday. Will I get a kiss?”

  Her eyes begin to droop from the way he said her name. Then she reminded herself that her shift was not over. In defeat, she answered in her most sultry voice, “How can I kiss someone if I don’t know his name?”

  He beamed at her. His cologne intoxicated her and she couldn’t identify all the ingredients. Musk, sandalwood, and…

  “I’m Jay.” She firmly clasped the hand he held out to her. When their skin touched, Presley got an electrical shock. For lingering seconds, her body felt as if it were one long wick and Jay had lit it. It burned. It shook. Made her grasp what being alive meant, maybe for the first time. All she wanted to do was drag him onto the floor, strip him bare, and have her way with this sexy man.

  They both released their hold and bore into each other’s eyes. She swore she saw fear, confusion, and intense desire in his look. Did she seem the same?

  Jay’s nostrils flared. “Are you seeing someone?”

  Presley blinked back her surprise at his reaction and question. “No, I’m single.” She glanced at her watch.

  He swallowed hard before extending an elbow. “May I escort you back?”

  Tempted to take it, she knew there were now cameras around. No need to give Oliver Cordova a reason to fire her.

  “Thanks, but I’d better go alone. Work policy.”

  Ed smiled. “I will see you soon, right?”

  “Sure. I owe you that graduation kiss.”

  He winked and walked away with a slight swagger. Jay seemed like a playboy with a good heart, the kind a girl can rely on but not get too serious about. At this point, that’s what Presley wanted. Some fun with no strings.

  Javier

  Sitting back at the bar, Javier rubbed the back of his neck. His skin still tingled. Every cell seemed to buzz. What had that been when he touched Presley?

  Just the mention of her name made his pulse skip. All his mind wanted to center on was her. Why? Was this a reaction to the beers?

  The young women next to him grew increasingly louder after each round of drinks. One kept bumping into his arm and then his thigh, despite his moving away. Finally, after they finish their drinks, they leave. Where’s the tip for the bartender?

  They could afford it. Each one had sported over a thousand-dollar handbag.

  One more time he gazed over at Presley. Incredibly charming woman. Nice body. Cute personality. She excelled at multitasking; he had watched her when she thought he used his phone. Yet behind those pretty blue eyes lurked something . . . he regarded it to wearing a mask, watching the world and keeping quiet, living with secrets.

  Then there’s that spark he received when he first touched her. A power?

  Javier felt as though he already knew her. Strange, this has never happened to him before.

  Can’t blame the alcohol he’s consumed. It takes much more to bring on a buzz.

  Could this be what he’s heard about? Instant attraction?

  Minutes before closing and she’s still running around, taking care of people. Her feet must ache. Every now and then she gazed at him and his world came to a stop. Nothing else exists. Just him and her.

  Man, I have got to get laid. Next, I’ll be sitting on the couch with pints of ice cream glued to Netflix like my younger sisters.

  This is his first time at Uncle Hector’s establishment ever since he added in this club section. Since Hector is adopted, his father keeps him out of pack business, but his uncle is aware of what the Cordova’s are. That’s why everything going on from the underage drinking to the drug use and sexual acts inside those private rooms was allowed. The Cordova’s run everything: from town government, the police, the courts, to overseeing every business, schools, anything that happens on these fourteen thousand acres makes its way back to the Alpha.

  As he stood, his gaze fell on her. Presley shyly smiles back. The girl excited him. The lights flickered. Once. Twice.

  Still cognizant customers stuffed bills into the tip jars. He already had.

  Customers grabbed jackets and bags before departing. Some yelled or waved their goodbyes to the staff. He watched her reaction and wondered if she has close friends. Did Presley let anyone in?

  Or was she just like him?

  Soon the floor is devoid of strangers. The employees proceeded to close. “Hey, Jay, you want to wait for me outside or meet up somewhere?” She stood close.

  “I’ll meet you in the employee lot.”

  When he reached the door, he knew she had watched him walk away. Her eyes still admired. Good, she was interested.

  He pulled his car around to the back employee lot and remained with the engine running to keep the vehicle warm for her. Jay opened his window and sniffed the air, searching for her car. A scuffed up, used little thing. He’s surprised it runs at all. And she’s outside as well, that coconut and hibiscus scent of her shampoo went straight to his groin, so did her black currant and roses perfume, but where had she gone?

  A garbage truck picked up somewhere on the outer road. With it loud motor and the clanging as each can was lifted, emptied, and returned, those sounds provided a distraction. His wolf pawed the ground. Why was the animal unsettled? Javier jumped out of his car and headed in the direction of Presley’s unique scents. Wolf became cagey, upset. It urged him to hurry. Restless himself, he switched to night vision to better locate her. Dumpsters lined this back section, surrounded by fencing. The gate stood open. The stench of old food and other disgusting things attacked his senses, but his wolf turned antagonistic. They both caught a whiff of fear.

  Hers.

  Tuning his hearing, Javier picked up a menacing voice, smelled the pheromones and lust.

  “You little bitch! What did you do to me earlier? Wanna play games?”

  Her whimper became a cry when her body hit the brick façade. Javier ran. He launched himself on top of the nearest dumpster, a growl emanated from deep within and he fought to keep himself human. All he wanted to do was turn and rip out the throat of the bastard who had Presley against the wall, her skirt ripped. From the man’s position and the way he had her against the wall, he was about to force himself on her.

  Not while Javier lived.

  He ran down the row of dumpsters, launching off when he reached the final one. Talon-tipped hands ripped into the bastard’s back. Javier had him in the air, rage morphed his features from man to something otherworldy. The man screamed; blood dripped down his shoulders.

  “Want to force women into having sex with you?” Javier roared and twisted him around.

  “Jay?” Her tiny voice stopped him cold. His hands shook, talons still in that monster’s skin.

  Withdrawing one hand, Javier whipped back the dumpster top and slammed the guy inside, thrusting it closed just as quickly. He heard the human’s heart racing. Let the police deal with that.

  He rushed over to Presley. Blue sparks sputtered from her fingertips.

  Cheeks scratched. Her forehead bled from brick burn. She had changed her clothes. The pretty floral dress hung disheveled off her frame. The front was ripped down the front, revealing her black bra and her bloody, scratched up chest.

  About to touch her cheek, he decided against it. “I’ll call the police, report him. Are you okay?” Voice hoarse, he only wanted what she did.

  “He was my . . . boss, t-took over for Mr. Cordova,” she uttered, knees shaking.

  Jay reached for his cell phone, but Presley stopped him. Looking up at him, the fear still apparent in her features, she shook her head. “That family, they own t-the town. No one w-will listen. Plus, I hurt him earlier.” Staring down at her hands, the tips were slightly black, as though burned.

  “That doesn’t give him the right to attack—”

  Anger replaced the fear as she shoved her hands against his chest. He didn’t budge. Presley glared. “Are you from around here? I don’t stand a chance
against that family. I’m a nobody. No one will care or believe.”

  “Okay, no police. How about we get you home, cleaned up and into bed?”

  “Okay.” He heard the apparent exhaustion in her tone.

  Javier picked her up in his arms and carried her over to his car, He slid her into the passenger seat and buckled her in. With a snap, she had been secured. But with that click, Javier became aware of two important life-changing facts.

  Presley was his mate. Their bond had just slipped into place. And he bet that once she found out his real identity, she would hate him as much as she hated his family. His wolf howled mournfully.

  The End

  About the Author

  Award-winning author Laurie Treacy, a former newspaper layout artist and reporter, writes paranormal, fantasy, and contemporary romances. Living in New York's supernaturally steeped Hudson Valley, she is fascinated by the history of forgotten places, buildings, and the people who inhabited them. Fond of urban exploring and photography, the scenes captured by her lens are frequently re-imagined into her stories.

  When not writing, Laurie's a Studio Ghibli fangirl, K-drama addict, and Whovian. She's also a member of the SCBWI, Romance Writers of America (RWA), and their chapters for Young Adult writers (YARWA) and Fantasy, Futuristic and Paranormal writers (FF&P). Find her online at http://www.laurietreacy.com

  Join Laurie Online

  Facebook

  Twitter: @llt806

  Instagram

  Blog

  Find more about Laurie’s books at her website:

  Website & Newsletter Signup

  To Claim a Bear

  R.L. Wilson

  Jared

  Blah, blah, blah.

  Does she ever shut up? I stare out the window at the day's denim-blue sky. Dizziness consumes my head when Bella comes over. She came to the station to report an incident. However, she constantly complains about bullshit.

  “Are you listening to me?” Bella says. She flings her blue coat over the coat tree then plops down in the chair next to my desk. She’s wearing skintight ripped jeans, and a green shirt that hugs her curves.

  I narrow my gaze on her brown eyes; she sure is attractive with the biggest breasts a man could want. If her personality matched her look, she would be a keeper.

  “Can you believe she did Stacie’s nails before mine?” She arches an eyebrow in my direction as her cheeks turn rosy red. She bangs her fist into the wooden desk. Damn her.

  “Calm down, calm down.” I trot to the kitchen, passing the empty cell. She keeps on talking. If she doesn’t shut her pie-hole I’ll lock her up in this cell. I yawn then take a stretch and grab a cup of coffee.

  “What are we going to do?” she whines before shooting a sharp glare my way. “About her poor customer service?” She rolls her eyes.

  “Bella, you want me to close the lady down because you had to wait for your nails.” I shrug.

  Her eyes widen. “Yes, especially since I’m going to be your permanent mate soon.” She bats her eyelashes as the corners of her mouth curl into a smile.

  I choke on the coffee sitting in my mouth. Fire explodes throughout my body. I growl at Bella. “Your permanent mate?” I march back over to my desk with a death grip around my coffee mug. I feel nauseated. This girl has lost her damn mind.

  “Wait, why did you say it like that, Mr. Sheriff?”

  “No reason, Bella. I’m only twenty-six, I'm not ready to be anyone’s mate.” I shift my attention to the computer. “If you don’t mind, I have work to do." I pull the keyboard closer and turn on the monitor.

  “I'm making a report,” she says. The clack of her heels hitting the tiled floor drives me crazy. I glance up and she is right beside me. She creeps over and rubs my head then slides her leg across my lap. The scent of coconut from the big breasts dangling in my face made me explode.

  She knows what she is doing—my dick gets hard every time she flops her colossal ass in my lap.

  “You don’t want to be my mate?” she growls and then licks my face. She flings her long brown hair over her shoulder and her eyes twinkle.

  She is accustomed to getting whatever she wants and so am I. Yeah, she was a good fuck of a time, but I don't want to commit to her or anybody. I just like the way she works her tongue.

  She nibbles at my neck—my weak spot. My mind says get up and run, she is getting too attached. I wipe the sweat from my brow. My eyes roll to the back of my head as I relax from the flick of her tongue.

  She licks my thick lips and looks into my eyes and says, “Don't you want to mate? The clan thinks we should.” She grinds all around my dick. I grab her breasts and caress them softly. She howls, begging for more. Then she slips her shirt off, exposing her breasts. She never wears a bra.

  My heart rate has kicked up a notch. I kiss her breasts and then play with her nipple ring with my mouth.

  The vibration from my phone brings me back to reality. “I’ve got to work, Bella. Shit.”

  I glance over at the phone and see Lance’s name light up. Lance was one of my clan brothers, the second-in-command and a deputy.

  Bella doesn’t care that Lance is calling. She keeps right on grinding on my dick.

  “Yeah Lance, how is it going?” I try to catch my breath.

  “We have a problem in the mountains.” He coughs. “Get here quick,” Lance urges.

  “I'm on my way,” I explain to Lance before hanging up the phone. Bella’s big breast was staring me in the face.

  “Bella, I’ve got to go,” I chuckle and complain. “Come on, get up.”

  “No, you don’t.” She puts her finger in her mouth, stares at me, and sucks. She grabs my hand and slides it down her stomach into her panties. It lands right on her clit. I play with it as she moves around.

  “Come on, Bella, get up.” I slip my hands out of her underwear.

  She leans in close and whispers in my ear. “Can we finish tonight?”

  It’s hard to resist the temptation of having sex with her but her father and the clan want us to marry. She is not the one. We are sexually compatible, but that’s it. I care for her, but she is not the one.

  “Sure, leave the door open for me. I'll come by and slide this dick in you.”

  She smiles and gets off my lap. She slips her shirt on and grabs her jacket. I watch her gigantic ass walk out the door as my dick slowly becomes less intense.

  * * *

  My car comes to a stop in front of the Bear Creek Lodge. Lance stands in front of his black Charger with a mean stare on his face. Smoke flows from his mouth as hit bites his bottom lip. A pain stirs in the pit of my stomach. I know this isn’t good news.

  My black boots hit the ice and the snow crunches underneath. I zip my leather jacket then look at my watch. It’s ten in the morning too early for bullshit.

  “What happened? You didn’t sound happy on the phone,” I question.

  “Let’s take a walk inside,” Lance says.

  I follow as he walks toward the club. Lance is calm and levelheaded, but he could be a loose cannon if needed. He loves riding motorcycles, but he isn’t much of a dresser. He refused to wear the clan leather jacket. All the members own one except Lance.

  The lodge was empty, but the smell of smoke lingered. The blazing heat brought a bead of sweat to my forehead. We take a seat on the old dusty green sofa. Sadly, the sofa has graced the main room of the lodge for a decade. We desperately need some upgrades.

  “We have a fucking problem,” Lance say as rage flashes across his face. “I took Terry her Xanax and she says we charge too much.” His eyes widen. “I tell her she has to get it for fifteen a pill, I can’t go any cheaper.”

  “Yeah,” I shrug. “What’s the problem with that?”

  I can understand why Lance was so mad. He seems to get angrier as he continues telling me what happened.

  “She gives the pills back!” He slams his fist into the table which causes the glass vase to rattle. “She says Reggie is selling them ten
dollars a pill.”

  I gasp. What the fuck. A fresh wave of anger washes over me. Anger at Reggie. He belongs to a different biker clan, but everyone knows Bear Creek sells pills. We get them in from Canada and we sell all pharmaceuticals on the streets cheaper.

  I lean back on the couch then kick my boots up on the table. I stare up at the wood paneling and pop my knuckles.

  “Relax, Lance. They can't have too many pills for sale.”

  Lance storms to the kitchen still mumbling under his breath. I’m looking at this from a different perspective. Lance is looking at the small picture. I’m looking at the enormous picture. We’ve been selling pills for years. And we have a connection in Canada. Reggie’s clan is new to this. Eventually they would have to buy from us and my prices just get higher.

  Lance strolls back into the room, now a little calmer. He’s carrying a bottle of water. He takes a large gulp.

  “What do you think we should do?”

  “Wait it out.”

  “So, you’re saying we should do nothing?” He gives me a dismissive wave. “That’s bullshit.”

  Lance is like a brick wall when he’s angry. No matter how much you tried talking to him, you couldn’t get through. Lance wanted to be violent, but not every dispute is solved with violence.

  “Sometimes you have to play the game. Remember, this is chess, not checkers. And I’m the king.”

  Kaitlyn

  “Wake up, sleepyhead!” the voice on the opposite end of the phone says. I glance at the alarm clock on the nightstand. Seven thirty. I roll over and glance at the window to see daylight has barely broken through the clouds.

  “Lisa, it’s too early,” I growl, pressing my face into the pillow.

  “It takes two hours to get to the mountains, doesn’t it?”