Mystical Xmas: Paranormal Romance Anthology Box Set

by Anthology

  She knew that he would most likely wake and make a hasty exit, thanking her for her time and trouble, and that thought filled her with a deep sadness. How did this man get under her skin so quickly?

  She glanced down at his side, where the bandage was and gently traced her finger over it.

  “You can take it off if you’d like,” his husky voice murmured and she jerked her head up, only to find him lying there – his eyes still closed and a shit-eating grin plastered across his face.

  Curiosity got the better of her and she slowly lifted up the edge of the bandage. A gasp escaped her when she saw not a mark on him. She tore it the rest of the way off and tossed it onto the floor, her fingers skimming across the smooth perfect skin.

  “Wicked,” she breathed in awe, and felt him chuckle.

  “Not bad, huh?”

  “Pretty sick if you ask me. I’m floored.”

  Jax flipped over and pinned her underneath his impressive frame, and Megan squealed in surprise. He nibbled on her lips a moment before taking them in a soul-stealing kiss.

  When he broke away and they came up for air, she could see his amber eyes glowing brightly.

  “My, you are a frisky one in the morning, aren’t you, Mr. Powers?” She laughed, and he only growled and fused his mouth to hers – eliciting a growl of her own from her throat.

  They made love the entire morning and finally forced themselves to leave the bed to shower. They showered together, soaping each other and giggling like children, and Megan had never felt so happy in her life. This man made her laugh and smile…and call out to him in the throes of ecstasy as she had never done before…with anyone…ever. And as they stepped from the shower and playfully dried each other off…she found herself not wanting this to end.

  Jax tucked the towel around his lean hips as she slipped into a t-shirt and he leaned down to kiss her lightly on the nose when her head popped out of the neck.

  “You hungry?” She questioned softly.

  “I thought you didn’t eat?” he asked, that damn brow of his quirking up.

  “No…I said I wasn’t really a cook,” she laughed. “I have eggs and such…just not sure that you are strong enough to survive my cooking.”

  Jax pulled her up against his body, nuzzling her neck, and she felt the blood rush to her face. My God, this man could have her hotter than sin in two point two seconds! “How about this,” he whispered against her skin. “You make the coffee and I’ll take care of the cooking.”

  Megan leaned back and smiled up into his face, “Deal!” She agreed, and turned too walked towards the kitchen. “Damn, I just might have to keep you.” He heard her whisper as she disappeared through the doorway.

  Jax stopped dead in his tracks and looked at her receding back, her words causing a sudden tightening in his chest. “I don’t think I’d mind being kept by you in the least, Sweetheart,” he whispered, before following her.

  ~ ~ ~

  “So, um…I was thinking.” Megan said from across the breakfast table. She shoved another mouthful of eggs into her mouth and took a quick sip of her coffee. Damn, but the man could cook!

  “Yes?”

  “Well, you said that you were staying in a motel, and well - in this day and age of um…bedbugs and such…and I’m sure with you having to worry about fleas…”

  Jax just about spit his coffee across the table, and quickly grabbed a napkin. “Excuse me?” he choked out and shook his head when she gave him a snarky little smile and a wink. This woman was absolutely one of a kind.

  “Anyway…I was wondering if you’d like to… to stay here while you…you know, hunt.”

  Jax bit back the desire to jump on the table and yell Hell yes! With everything that he had. There was nothing he could have wanted more than to spend time with her. This woman was everything he never thought a woman could be, and he wanted to get know every part of her – body and soul.

  “On one condition,” he replied; his voice even.

  “Yes?”

  “You let me do the cooking.”

  Megan burst out laughing and raised her coffee cup. “Deal.” And there was a very large part of her that wanted to jump for joy.

  ~ ~ ~

  “I’ll just grab my stuff, and I want to check out a few things – then I’ll be back,” Jax promised as they stood in the doorway of her apartment. There was a part of Megan that couldn’t believe that she had actually offered to have him stay with her – yet another part that just knew that this was right.

  “I’m going to run to the grocery store and stock up. Is there anything special you want?” She asked, feeling like a silly school girl. Just what in the hell was happening?

  “Any raw meat will be fine,” he laughed, giving her a quick kiss.

  “Smart ass.”

  Jax pulled her against his body and brought his mouth down on hers, kissing her heatedly. When they broke apart he gazed into her eyes, those amber depths filled with desire.

  “I’ll see you later,” With that he turned and dashed down the hall. Megan watched him go, then went back inside to dress. Could this all be real?

  ~ ~ ~

  Megan mulled about the kitchen, watching as the sauce bubbled on the stove. She had decided that should would surprise Jax by cooking one of the only things that she was halfway decent at cooking - spaghetti. She stirred the sauce and tasted it…not bad.

  A cold breeze hit her and she turned. What the hell? Megan walked into the living room and found her terrace door open, the curtains blowing from the cold winter wind. Her eyes flew around the room, but found nothing. She cautiously walked over to the sliding glass door, her heart in her throat. Something was wrong!

  “I see that Jax has been quite taken with you, my lovely.” The voice that drifted across the room sent a shiver right up her spine. No! It couldn’t be!

  She turned to find Malcom standing there, his white eyes shining brightly in the dim room, and she felt her blood turn to ice. This just couldn’t be happening.

  “What are you doing here?” She rasped, her throat constricting with her terror. She could feel the vibrations of fear coursing through her limbs; causing them to quake violently – and she was terrified that her legs would give out on her.

  “You see, I find you rather interesting,” he whispered, taking a step closer. “I most likely would have just cut my losses once Mr. Powers intervened, but now…” He eyed her up and down, the intensity of his gaze causing gooseflesh to rise up on her arms. “I’m curious to know what he finds so very fascinating about you.”

  He took another step toward her and she instinctively took one back. If she could just get into the kitchen and grab a knife! Then maybe she might have a chance.

  “He’s…he’s going to be back any second, you know,” she warned defiantly; praying for all that she was worth that she was right.

  Malcom laughed, but it held no humor what so ever. “You’d like to think that; wouldn’t you,” he hissed. “But, it seems that I’ve sent him on a bit of a wild goose chase. You see, if nothing else, Jax is dedicated. He doesn’t take his responsibilities lightly, and if he were to get a lead on …well, me – I’m afraid that duty would take precedence, and he would be obligated to check it out.”

  Megan felt her heart drop to her knees. Oh, God! This was it then. “What do you want?” she repeated, jutting out her chin with a straightening of her spine.

  “Why…you, my dear.” With that he closed the distance between them and grabbed her, pulling her against his body with his hand to her throat – successfully cutting off her air. “You do smell delightful,” he whispered against her ear, and Megan felt herself getting lightheaded. This just could not be happening! Not now…not when she had just found Jax…

  In the next instant, the door to the apartment burst open and Jax stood there, his eyes blazing in fury. The grip on her throat tightened as Malcolm’s other hand swept across her belly to her breast, pinching harshly; and she rasped in pain.

  “Get away fr
om her, you son of a bitch!” Jax growled, his jaw clenched and his body shaking with rage. His chest was heaving with his anger, and Megan felt hope swell up inside her. Jax was here.

  “Oh, Jax,” Malcom crooned, his hot fetid breath whispering across her face, and she felt her eyes water from the stench…or was she crying? She didn’t know. “Let me have my fun. You are such a killjoy.”

  “It ends now,” Jax hissed, and through the fog that was her brain, Megan saw Jax shift into a very large, beautiful black wolf. A half smile crossed her face as the thought flitted across her mind that -he was absolutely magnificent -all strength and raw power.

  Malcom threw her across the room, slamming her into the wall with a sound crack, and then…there was only blackness.

  ~ ~ ~

  Jax struck the moment that Malcom had tossed Megan – his body tense with the pure fury rushing through his veins. He saw her hit the wall and crumple to the floor and flew through the air – hitting Malcom straight in the chest and snapping.

  They rolled and struggled, Malcom’s fangs extended - trying to meet their mark and rip Jax’s throat- but Jax was much too powerful…and angry.

  They smashed into the coffee table, splintering it in a crash of broken wood, their growls and hisses filling the silent apartment.

  Malcom kicked Jax across the room where he slammed into another table, smashing it – sending glass crashing to the floor.

  Jax shifted back to his human floor and picked up a broken table leg, lunging for the angry Vampire, and meeting his mark with deadly precision – the make shift stake sliding through his chest and into the creature’s heart as easily as a hot knife through butter.

  Malcom stopped struggling and glanced down, his lips curling into a sardonic grin. “Well, done,” he grunted, his breath wheezing out of him.

  Jax watched, breathing heavy as the Vampire screeched and turned to dust. He turned and rushed over to where Megan lay, praying that she was all right.

  He fell to the floor and pulled her into his arms, his heart thrumming in his chest to the point that he thought it would explode. He could feel her faint heartbeat against his as he rocked her gently.

  “Baby,” he murmured against her hair, his body trembling. “Don’t you dare leave me; you hear me?”

  She moaned softly and he felt hope invade his senses like a run a way freight train. He leaned back so that he could see her perfect features, and wanted to shout with joy when those incredibly long lashes fluttered and her eyes met his.

  “Malcom?” she croaked, her voice a hoarse whisper, and Jax felt his body relax.

  “He’s gone, baby.”

  “Did you kill him?” She asked, those eyes of hers shining brightly.

  “Yes,” he replied, nodding.

  “Good. He…stunk.”

  Jax laughed with relief as her pulled her closer, kissing her temple. He shifted and lifted her up into his arms, carrying her into the bedroom and depositing her gently on the bed.

  Megan eyed him up and down a moment, her mouth breaking into an angelic smile that literally stole the breath from his body.

  “You’re naked,” she observed softly.

  “Yes.”

  “You make a pretty wicked cool wolf.”

  “Fleas and all?” He asked, his brow rising devilishly; and she giggled, nodding her head.

  “Fleas and all.”

  He slid into the bed beside her, pulling her into the circle of his arms and running his lips across her face. She felt so blasted good in his arms, and he found that he wanted this forever. She had come into his life like a whirlwind and changed how he felt about…everything.

  He felt her snuggle against him, then her soft even breathing as she drifted off to sleep. He closed his eyes and sighed, wondering what to do next. Malcom was dead, time to find his next hunt – but as he lay here in the darkness, with this woman beside him…he didn’t get the usual rush that he did when it was time to move on. In fact, he didn’t find the thought appealing in the least. Christ.

  ~ ~ ~

  Megan woke up to an empty bed. She rolled over and touched the space where Jax was supposed to be; only to find it cold. She listened intently, not daring to breathe as she tried to detect any sound of the man that she was swiftly falling in love with moving around the apartment; but she was greeted with only an earth shattering, gut-wrenching silence.

  Tears stung her eyes and she slammed them shut as she realized that he was most likely gone. It was time for him to move on. He was a hunter, and once he made his kill – he would leave. A part of her almost wished that Malcom had gotten away, and she admonished herself instantly for even thinking such a thing. That was selfish of her. That creature was a killer, and because of Jax, he wouldn’t be able to kill ever again.

  She pulled the comforter over her head and fought back the sobs that wanted to overtake her. What was she to expect? She questioned. He had a job, it was done, and now he had to move on to the next. She shook her head as she felt the weight of her sorrow slamming into her. Not even a Goodbye…it’s been real.

  Stop! She told herself. Why should he be any different than anyone else in her life? People left. That’s what they did. He had no ties to her.

  She stopped the thought cold as the strains of Bing Crosby’s White Christmas drifted into her addled mind. Megan sat up quickly, looking toward the door, her legs slipping from beneath the covers and carrying her in the direction from which the song came.

  Were her neighbors playing that song? She wondered, then quickly shook her head. No, these apartments were pretty sound proof. Proof in point, was the fact that no one had bothered to call the cops as Jax and Malcom had smashed half of her furniture last night.

  She opened the bedroom door and peeked out, not letting herself hope that this was anything more than a dream. She thought about pinching herself, but decided against it. If this was indeed a dream; the last thing she wanted was to wake up.

  She walked down the hall on shaky legs, curling her hands tightly into fists at her side to the point that her nails were making marks in her palms.

  What she saw when she turned the corner and stepped into the living room caused a gasp to rush past her lips.

  Jax mulled about the room, which was lit up with shimmering Christmas lights. Santa Claus’s and snowmen adorned the tables and mantle of the fireplace, where a beautiful fire burned. Her mouth dropped open when she saw the huge tree, shimmering with white lights like something right out of a Christmas card. Oh, my God…

  Jax turned as she entered the room and watched her as and stood there in stunned silence. Her apartment looked like a fantasyland. It was incredible.

  “Morning,” he called, his eyes gleaming with pride. He strode over to where she stood, her mouth hanging open is shock.

  His lips brushed against hers as his hands slipped up her arms, pulling her close.

  “I…what…how,” she stammered against his mouth, at a loss for words. “I thought you were gone.”

  “Yeah, about that,” he hedged, his eyes locking with hers. “I was wondering how you felt about me maybe extending my stay a bit.”

  Megan felt her heart stop dead. Could she hope? “You were?”

  He nodded, his mouth turning up in that grin that stole her heart. “Yes.”

  “But, won’t you have to go on another…hunt?” She asked, her body trembling with hope. “I…I mean, that’s what you do.” She couldn’t help but wonder if she could handle being in a relationship with someone whose life was constantly on the line. Who would be gone for long periods at a time - but only an instant later, she thought…for him I would.

  “About that,” he replied, his hand lifting and tenderly brushing across her cheek. “That was my last hunt,” he informed her softly. “I’ve already told the powers that be that I’m done.”

  Megan’s eyes shot to his, wondering if she had actually heard him right. “But…” She didn’t know what to say. Was he actually saying that he was willing to quit to b
e with her?

  “Listen, baby.” He said, his eyes boring into hers with a heat and tenderness that had her heart pounding once again. “I don’t know how the hell it happened, but you came into my life like a class five tornado, and made me want and feel things that I’ve never wanted before.” He paused, and she could see the sincerity in his expression. “I’m thinking that what I want most right now, is a cabin in the woods…with you by my side.”

  “You do?”

  He nodded once again. “I want to spend my days laughing and talking with you, and my nights holding you in my arms.” His lips twitched with humor. “I even want a passel of puppies,” he chuckled. “Do you think you could handle that?”

  “Jax…” she breathed, her eyes shimmering with her tears. Never would she have ever thought that she would trust anyone ever again – yet she trusted this man. She trusted him with her life, and she wanted to spend every waking moment with him. She knew that she had fallen, and she had fallen hard and fast – but it was right. So, damn right. “That sounds like Heaven.”

  Jax’s mouth crashed down on hers; his tongue staking claim as his hands fanned out against her back and pulled her up against him as close as he possible could – and yet, it would never be close enough. The proof of his desire pressed hot and firm against her stomach as she returned his heated assault – wrapping her arms around his neck and wriggling against him.

  Jax groaned deep in his throat as he led her over to where the Christmas tree stood in the corner and gently eased her to the floor. His eyes snapped fire as he broke their kiss and painstakingly pulled the clothing that she wore from her, tossing the garments over his shoulder as he did.

  His mouth lowered and met her heated core, his tongue sweeping between her silky folds with a determination and strength that had her crying out to him in an instant. He lifted her legs and set them over his shoulders as his mouth cherished her. His teeth nipping at her sensitive bud right before sucking it gently between his lips – pulling a strangled gasp from her.

  His hand slid up her heated thigh and joined his mouth, slipping a finger into her wet channel.