Such Violent Delights: A Holiday Paranormal Romance Anthology

by S. L. Jennings

  “Easy?” I hissed and shoved him back. He stumbled slightly, but his eyes never left me. He scanned me, as if he was searching for an answer.

  My lust was quickly replaced by my rage.

  His shock hadn’t faded. “How did you do that?”

  I bent down and picked up my sweater, angrily throwing it over my head. I struggled to find the head hole and once I did, I grunted, fisting my hands. I turned ot leave, my cheeks burning as I heard the moans in the clearing.

  “Hey!” His voice grew angry and he grabbed my wrist.

  I spun, jerking away from him. “Did you drug me?”

  He glared. “Did you drink anything here tonight?”

  I glared back. Because no I hadn’t and by the way he watched me, he knew I hadn’t had anything inside of his estate.

  “You and your pompous preppy freaks can go enjoy yourselves alone, asshole,” I said, jabbing his chest.

  A dark look passed over his expression and my chest grew heavy. All the playfulness, the smiles, and the lust vanished and left a dark void I didn’t want to be sucked into.

  “You did not just insult me,” he said, lowly, clenching his teeth.

  I laughed, outraged. Who did he think he was? “You’re just a rich boy who think he owns everything he touches. Well, I got news for you. You don’t, especially me, asshole.”

  I spun, not bothering to wait around, but as I rushed through the woods, my breath visible in the night air, I felt his angry follow me like the bitter wind.

  When I saw the house up ahead, I let out a sigh of relief. Fuck this. Fuck all of this. I needed to go home and sleep before the exam. I shouldn’t have gone out with Maude and I made a mental note never to convince me to come to one of her parties ever ahead.

  Orgies in the woods?

  Winter Solstices?

  The entire clearing felt hot and heavy as if something was taking over and I couldn’t help but give in.

  I shook my head, angry with myself.

  I marched up the back porch and reentered the house, searching for Wesley or Maude to get my coat back that had my house keys and phone. The house was still full-blown a dance party and I felt that familiar heavy lust, but I focused on my anger and frustration.

  As I passed into the hallway, I saw Maude leaning into a tall football player, stroking his chest up and down. He looked at her like she hung the moon and I faltered at the sight. Is that how I looked back there?

  I shook it off and powered over to her, touching her arm.

  Maude glared, but blinked in surprise when she saw me. Then grinned brightly. “Blondie, darling! You look ravished.”

  I reddened, feeling my hair and pulling out a leaf. Fuck me.

  “You need to fill me in who found you for the festives,” she said, stroking my arm and almost purring in delight.

  I gripped her wrist. “I need to leave, Maude.”

  At the sound of my voice, she paused, frowning. “Now? But you’ll have fun.”

  “No,” I snapped, glaring at her. “This was a mistake.”

  “A mistake?” She narrowed her eyes, scanning me over. “Who were you with?”

  “Doesn’t matter!”

  “Yes it does!” For once, she didn’t appear easy going and sweet. She glared and took a deep breath, pulling me away from the football player. “Tell me.”

  I sighed and shook my head. My roommate was home so didn’t need my keys right away. “Fine. I’m going home. Bye Maude. Happy Holidays.”

  I pushed past her, but Maude chased after me. “Without your jacket?”

  “Just bring it tomorrow,” I said, exhausted and wanting to just get out of this place.

  I opened the front door and stepped outside, welcoming the cool breeze opposed to the sauna inside.

  “Wait, wait—” Maude ran in front of me and held her hands up. “Please tell me what happened.”

  I rubbed my forehead. “This guy named Reed—” She visibly tensed at his name. “—he was talking about the Winter Solstice and sarcfices and the Wild Hunt and then I heard someone scream so I thought I’d go see if they were okay. When we got there, all these people were in this…orgy.” Maude didn’t seem fazed by any of this, but she nibbled on her bottom lip. “We started making out and then he said something about humans being easy?” I shook my head. Did he think he was above being human? Like what the hell? “I told him he was a rich asshole.”

  “You insulted him?” Her eyes widened and her mouth fell open, going pale.

  I frowned. “Yeah, he deserved it. He needs to be taken down a few pegs.”

  Maude clenched her stomach, looking as if she was about to heave. “Oh god.” Her eyes snapped up to mine. “I told you not to insult anyone.”

  “He’ll get over,” I said, brushing it off.

  She shook her head widely. “You don’t understand, oh god, you don’t understand anything.” A sudden thought came to her head and she gripped my arms tightly. “I’ll talk to him, okay? Don’t worry.”

  I tensed at her words, confused and slightly scared. “He’s a big boy, Maude. So I insulted him—”

  “It’s not like that, at all. You insulted him. Here. On Winter Solstice. We don’t do well with insults.”

  “We?” I arched a brow. I was so lost, so confused. I was beyond confused.

  She breathed out heavily. “Just stay low.”

  And with that, Maude brushed past me, racing back into the house.

  I stood on the porch, watching a few drunken students make their way down Prospect Avenue.

  I took a deep breath and wrapped my arms around my middle.

  I had insulted him and I had no idea of the consequences.

  I was so fucking screwed.

  Chapter 4

  AT THE EXAM, I barely looked at Maude. When I arrived home the night before—or well, today, I had been shocked to see it was four in the morning. I didn’t know how long I danced in the house, but it must have been a lot longer than I had thought or maybe the walk in the woods had been longer.

  Either way, I was exhausted, angry—and strangely still aroused.

  I gritted my teeth, pressing my pencil on the paper and answering each question as fast as I could.

  When I stood up, closing my exam booklet, Maude chose the exact same time to finish. I rushed to the front and handed in the exam, wishing my professor a happy holiday.

  The words tasted bitter in my mouth, but I ignored it and stepped out into the hallway.

  Officially on winter break and somehow I didn’t feel relief.

  Loneliness.

  Anger.

  Horniess.

  I fisted my hands beside me and started toward the exit. As I walked along the pavement, I stiffened when Maude called my name.

  “Emma, wait up!”

  I didn’t listen and continued to walk toward the coffee café. I needed a coffee fast before I fell asleep on the sidewalk.

  Maude gripped my arm and spun me to face her. “You can really walk fast.” She was out of breath and touched her side as a cramp throbbed through her.

  “I’m on the track team, Maude,” I told her, shrugging my shoulders.

  She gave me a look and then sighed. “I couldn’t find your coat.”

  My eyes widened and then I hit my forehead in anger. “Ugh. I knew I shouldn’t have gone there last night.”

  “I talked to him,” Maude said and I froze, confused for a moment and then it fell into place. Maude fidgeted with the bottom of her jacket. “I tried to reason with him, that you didn’t know better. But I had warned you, Emma.”

  “Why are you so upset about this? It’s nothing. If I see him, I’ll ignore him and I’m sure he’ll do the same.”

  She shook her head. “Oh Emma. I should have told you everything.”

  I blinked. “Everything what?”

  “I think he may leave you alone, but he’s pissed,” she said.

  “He’s pissed?” I rolled my eyes. “It’s really nothing, Maude. Let it go.”

/>   She shook her head again, stubbornly.

  When she didn’t say anything more, I sighed and fixed the strap on my shoulder. “Look, I gotta go. Happy Holidays, Maude. See you in the new year.”

  She pursed her mouth. “Happy Winter Solstice, Maude. Hope to see you in the new year.”

  I stared blankly as she turned away, her words sending alarm bells off inside of me. But I didn’t know how to respond to her, to her cold words. It was all so melodramatic and I knew she was sometimes like that, but it felt off.

  Would Reed really be that pissed? He was hot so I really didn’t think he’d spend his time sulking about one girl who turned him down. He’d get over it. I mean he probably joined that orgy after and found his rhythm again.

  I went to the coffee café and got a latte, sipping it and reading over some class materials for next semester. I figured if I was going to here for winter break I might as well use the library and get ahead of classes for next semester.

  I found a table in the corner of the library and put out my dinner I had packed and a few snacks. I flipped through books, jotting down notes for World War II. As I struggled so much the first semester with that course I was hoping I could spend some more time focusing on it so I could bring up my grade.

  “The library will be closing in five minutes,” the woman announced the speaker.

  I jolted at the sudden noise and straightened, stretching my arms over my head. I slowly gathered my things, dreading going home to ask my roommate to borrow her keys over the break until I got new ones made. Of course, my jacket and keys had to be stolen there of all places.

  Just my fucking luck.

  I smiled at the security guards as I left, pulling out my spare phone.

  “Emma?” my mom’s voice filled my ears and I smiled at the high-pitched sound.

  “Hey mom. Just wanted to check in and tell you the exam went well. I’m all free now,” I told her. She was three hours behind, so it was just nine pm.

  She loudly hollered in joy and I could picture her throwing her arms up and jumping. “Go have a drink for me, okay, sweetie? Or get into your comfy pajamas and drink whisky and rum and watch the Grinch.”

  I laughed. “I don’t want to watch that movie. It’s our movie.”

  “We could always plan a Skype call and watch it together over the holidays?”

  “That would be perfect.” Heat pierced my eyes. I wanted to be home with her and my dad, but it didn’t seem possible. I had no extra money and my parents both didn’t have much money to spare. I had made the decision to stay here for the winter holiday and even if I wanted to be there, I knew it was the right decision. Even if my chest felt heavy and twisted every time I thought of spending it alone in my room.

  A beeping filled her end of the call and she swore. “Sorry hun. Can I call you later tomorrow?”

  I figured she was trying to cook something, which she sucked at.

  “Yup, love you mom.”

  “Love you too!”

  She hung up and I pocketed my phone, staring at the empty campus.

  I turned down next to a stone building covered in beautiful ivy.

  “Blondie.”

  That husky voice sent shivers down my spine and I halted in my steps. Slowly, I turned and saw Reed, tall and handsome in the darkness of the same path.

  “Reed,” I whispered, blinking fast as he stepped closer. “What are you—”

  He lifted a jacket in his hand and my eyes widened. “Looks like you forget something.”

  “You bastard—”

  He was suddenly in front of me and before I could finish my sentence, his mouth brushed mine and I gasped.

  I went to shove him away, but as soon as I touched him, my hands fisted his jacket and tugged him against me. What the hell was wrong with me? What was in his DNA that made me so desperate for his touch?

  He was like a drug, something I couldn’t deny, something I couldn’t stop myself from indulging in. He grunted against my mouth and pushed me back against the wall of ivy. His hand ran up my neck and tugged at my ponytail.

  “Tell me your name,” he breathed onto my panting mouth. The softness of his lips brushing against mine sent delightful shivers across my back and I arched closer to him, my hardened nipples dragging across his hard chest.

  He growled, his fingers tugging on the makeshift ponytail.

  “Tell me and I’ll touch you where you crave it most.” His other hand touched my upper thigh, slowly dragging underneath my plaid skirt.

  I moaned, squeezing my eyes shut. “She told me I shouldn’t—” I threw my head back as his fingers met the edge of my panties, tracing the thin lace fabric, his cold finger brushing back and forth of my tender skin beside it.

  “A name, Blondie, a name so I can know who I wish to torment,”

  I shook my head, my entire body shaking against him. “Why do you want to torment me?”

  “Insulting me is something I can’t tolerate. Very disrespectful,” he said, lowly and I didn’t need to open my eyes to know he watched me closely.

  “You insinuated I was easy,”

  “And here we are—proving my very statement.”

  My eyes flashed open, battling with his laughing ones. “My name’s Amanda. Now get off of me.”

  He tsked, his mouth quirking into that half smile and he leaned closer, yanking on my hair so I tilted my head back, eyeing him under hooded lids. “Very disrespectful. Lying doesn’t taste so sweet on your mouth, does it?”

  I froze. “I told you my name—”

  All humor left him and he leaned as close as possible, boring his eyes into me. “I can sense your lies so don’t think you can trick me, pet.”

  It was then his fingers moved over my panties, pressing into the wet spot. I moaned, turning my head away as he slid his nose along my neck, not kissing, but blowing his hot breath along the exposed flesh.

  My stomach heated, clenched with desire.

  And on a gasping cry, my name escaped my mouth: “Emma!”

  He stilled, his mouth brushing softly against mine, his breath shallow and fast.

  “Emma,” he whispered, tasting it on his mouth like a sweet delicate. He laughed breathlessly against me. “Emma.” The way he spoke it was sinful, dark, and sensual and I hated how it made me ache for him. “Just a pretty name for such a spiteful creature.”

  I shook in his hold, staring at him, my stomach dropping. “And yours?”

  He snickered, pushing off from the wall. “My name’s far too sacred. I don’t want it dirtying your pretty mouth.”

  I frowned.

  “You should have listened to your friend, Emma,” he said. “You shouldn’t have told me your name.”

  “Why?”

  “You just gave me all the power over you.”

  I shook, the absent of his body reminding me it was December and freezing. And I hated how much I craved to be next to him again. Snow danced around us, covering my shoulders and hair.

  “You called me human,” I whispered, eyeing him closely. “In the woods. You called me human…”

  A corner of his mouth lifted, but there was nothing playful about him in that moment. He tossed my jacket at me and I barely caught it between my numb, red hands. “Because you are.”

  I held my breath as he lifted his chin and stared down at me.

  “You’re—

  “Fae. Trickster. Wicked. Cunning. Mischief.” He smirked. “Your worst nightmare.”

  To be continued…

  About R. Scarlett

  R. Scarlett lives in a small quaint town in Southern Ontario, Canada and has an unhealthy obsession with mythology and romance.

  From studying English literature and minoring in History, she loves losing herself in a good book and snuggling up to her Brittany Spaniel.

  When she's not writing or plotting a delicious novel, she can be found hanging out with friends and family, going on long car rides, exploring small towns, or watching reruns of Sex and the City.

 
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  Also by R. Scarlett

  BLACKEST GOLD SERIES (PNR)

  Vein of Love

  Body of the Crime

  A Vow of Thorns

  To Crown A Beast

  BLACKEST GOLD WORLD SERIES (PNR)

  When Sinners Kneel (Standalone)

  AMERICAN GODS SERIES (Contemporary Romance/New Adult)

  Filthy Gods (Book 0.5)

  Rich Boys Don’t Have Hearts (Book One)

  Chapter 1

  Balor stood tall against the edge of the ten story building that overlooked the New York streets. Rooftop bars and observation decks were great tools for surveillance if you knew how to get to them without disturbing the humans.

  Icy wind whipped his shoulder length raven hair all around him as he looked for his twin brother. The two wolves were the newest edition to the Breed, a secret society where werewolves and vampires were one race, united.

  Though the twins were older than most, they had spent years imprisoned by the Breed’s only enemy, highly trained humans’ knowns as the Hunters. After so much torture, the brothers were crazed with the need for revenge.

  Night after night, they took surveillance and guard shifts from other Breed members, just itching to get their hands dirty. Aside from a few minor fights though, so far, they had been sorely disappointed.

  The brothers were wolves, born and raised on the blood-soaked grass fields of Scotland to a human mother and a battle hardened werewolf father. At a young age they were taught to defend their people and their land, and soon, bloodshed became a friend of theirs. It soothed them in a way that neither women nor drink could do.