Kelly, my beautiful, vampire fiancée, shoved my shoulders, pushing me back against the brick wall of the alley. I growled at her ferocity, loving it. Then I lifted her up, pinning her hands over her head. She wrapped her legs around my waist and kissed me hard, with a nip at my lip, not hard enough to draw blood, but hard enough to tell me she wanted to.
I ran my fingers down her arm, and laced them in her hair. I would never take the ability to control my own body for granted again. I would never get enough of these little stolen moments.
With so many people living in Kelly’s building, it wasn’t easy to get her all to myself. When I did, I didn’t bother holding back.
We had a cat audience—His Lordship King Snugglebumpkins and Snowball sat together taking turns staring at us and then licking each other. It hurt the mood, but also, we were never alone, and it could be worse.
A high-pitched scream came from inside the building.
I froze.
“Sounds like Peter,” Kelly said with a roll of her eyes. “I swear he snatched the spiky alien dildo during the demon commotion. It’s been missing since. And I don’t want to think about what he’s doing with it.”
“You think that’s why he’s screaming?”
Kelly shrugged. “You should ignore him...that’s what I do.”
I kissed her jaw, slowly making my way down her neck. She pulled at her arms, wanting to tear at my clothes, but I held her still.
“You’re not supposed to be here!” Peter’s voice grew higher, louder.
We shared a look. With what had happened to Marla and Grayson before, we knew Kelly’s sire could come at any time for them. I let go of Kelly’s hands and lowered her to the ground. So much for our short reprieve.
She pulled the knife from my belt and gestured with her head for me to follow. She slipped silently through the back door. I shut it carefully so it wouldn’t make noise.
“Peter Michael Doystovich, open the door this instant, or I’ll tell everyone your secret.” It was a woman who spoke, but not Marla.
Kelly lowered the blade to her side and hurried toward the stairwell. “Aubrey?”
At the top of the stairs, Marla and a woman with deep brown skin and blue hair, who I assumed was Aubrey, stood by Peter’s door.
“It’s not fair that you know everything,” Peter whined.
“And I’ll tell them what you’ve been doing with Marla’s—”
The door flew open.
“What?” Marla grabbed Peter and dragged him into the hall.
Peter pouted.
Kelly ran up and hugged Aubrey. “I can’t believe you’re here.”
“It’s time,” Aubrey said.
“Time for what?” Kelly asked.
Aubrey didn’t answer. She turned to Peter. “You are meant to live in the basement.”
“There’s a basement here?” His eyes glowed with interest, much like a nocturnal creature caught in light.
Aubrey nodded. Marla and I exchanged surprised looks. Neither of us had known there was a basement...but that was Aubrey.
She continued, “And Grayson will be happy to move your poetry nook.”
Peter giggled and rubbed his hands together. In her first few minutes here, Aubrey had been able to successfully do what none of the rest of us had in weeks—get Peter to come willingly out of Marla’s apartment.
I remembered Kelly talking about Aubrey. She was the sister who knew things—Omniscient Aubrey.
She looked at me and said, “Xavier. Nice to finally meet you.”
“You, too.” We shook hands.
“Your version of The Stakehouse will be needed here more than anywhere else, and soon.”
I was only just getting my business started. There were a lot of moving parts to work out, but I’d rented a space, and I was excited.
Aubrey headed down the stairs with Peter at her heels. The rest of us followed, too.
“When did you get in?” Kelly asked.
“Just now.” Aubrey stopped in front of the wall of photographs in the parlor. She flattened her mouth into a line as she looked at one in particular. Curious, I tried to see who she was staring at.
The image showed an expanse of a man’s upper back, with a large tree inked there, all swirling branches. The man’s face could be seen in profile, although he was partially shadowed by his wide-brimmed hat.
It was the cowboy—Joe something.
Aubrey frowned, lines deepening in her forehead as she looked at him. “Shit.”
THE FORBIDDEN SERIES
It’s always better when it’s forbidden—read the entire Forbidden series!
* * *
Forbidden Shifters
Claimed in Forbidden
Fated in Forbidden
Bound to Forbidden
Caught in Forbidden
Mated in Forbidden
Forever in Forbidden
Destined in Forbidden
* * *
Forbidden Fangs
Billionaires and Bodybags
Exes and Exorcisms
Cowboys and Coffins
* * *
For up-to-date lists of books by Keira and Liza, you can visit their websites!
Keira’s Book Page
Liza’s Book Page
ABOUT KEIRA AND LIZA
Sassy. Snarky. Supernaturally Sparkly.
Keyboard ninja, late-blooming bibliophile, proud geek, animal lover, eternal optimist, visual artist.
USA Today Bestselling Author Keira Blackwood writes exciting paranormal romance with all the snort laughs and all the feels.
Be the first to hear about new books and sales with Keira's newsletter.
Get started now with your free, exclusive book! http://www.keirablackwood.com/newsletter.html
Follow Keira on Facebook: http://facebook.com/KeiraBlackwoodAuthor
Liza likes her heroes packing muscles and her heroines packing agency. She got her start in romance by sneak-reading her grandma's paperbacks. Now she’s a USA Today bestselling author and she spends her time writing about hot shifters with fierce hearts.
FREE BOOKS—Join Liza's mailing list and get Fierce Heartbreaker for FREE, as well as an exclusive Sierra Pride prequel story and more fun bonuses! Go to Liza's Free Book page to get started: https://lizastreetauthor.com/free-book
Follow Liza on Facebook: http://facebook.com/LizaStreetAuthor
Hang out with both Keira and Liza in their Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/paranormalparamours/
PARANORMAL CHICK LIT
Join the Paranormal Chick Lit crowd! Visit the Paranormal Chick Lit website:
https://paranormalchicklit.com
Table of Contents
Title Page
Contents
Copyright
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
Epilogue
The Forbidden Series
About Keira and Liza
Paranormal Chick Lit
Exes and Exorcisms Page 12