Invaded

by Jennifer M. Eaton

  “What’s wrong?” Tracy asked.

  The entity didn’t answer with words. Instead, a flood of negative sensations oozed and quaked within Tracy.

  She raised her eyes. “Guilt. He’s feeling incredible guilt. He knows how much you cared for Dak and he doesn’t think he can live up to that. He doesn’t feel like he has the right to even try.”

  John closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead. He turned away. “Jace, I’m not asking you to be Dak, but I am your host. I’d at least like to know if you’re okay once in a while.” He held his hand steady before slapping his palm on the veneer. “Nothing. It’s like he’s not even in there.” John shoved himself away from the counter. “How am I supposed to get to know him when we can’t communicate?”

  “I have an idea.” Tracy tugged him to the couch and sat him down. “Let’s see if we can coax a reaction out of him.” She unbuttoned her blouse and let it slip to the floor. She shifted her weight, giving him a good view of the deep green Victoria’s Secret special.

  John smiled. “I don’t know what it’s doing for him but it’s definitely working for me.” His gaze lifted from her chest to her eyes. “I told you, though, I’m not ready. My mind wouldn’t be with you, and you deserve better.” He ran his fingers along the pink line under Tracy’s breast, a souvenir of Sean’s handiwork. “And I’m so damn afraid of hurting you.”

  Within a week, her wounds had healed a year’s worth, and he knew it. Entities didn’t take chances with their hosts. But the sentiment probably ran deeper. She ran her fingers up his chest to his collar and unbuttoned his shirt.

  He stopped her near his navel. “I told you I’m not ready.”

  Tracy continued unfastening until his shirt lay at his hips. “Relax, Detective. This isn’t about you.” Well, not completely anyway.

  She yearned for his touch as much as ever, but right now, her priority was Jace. At the moment, she needed Jace just as much as Adonna did. Jace was the key to bringing John back to her. She needed to convince this new entity to communicate.

  She ran her hands up John’s sides and across the flawless skin over his heart. If anything, Jace had proven his healing strength. John barely had a blemish on him, not even the original bullet holes. She moved her hands over John’s well-muscled shoulders. “Anything?”

  John shrugged.

  *Can we hold each other?*

  My thoughts exactly.

  Tracy inched closer to John and smoothed her hands along his back. Her brassiere crushed between them, the stiff lace teasing her hardened peaks. John trembled. His eyes darkened. His reaction or Jace’s? Not that it really mattered. Adonna laying just below the surface of Tracy’s skin, ready to pop, reminded her that if one of them got turned on, the other would follow.

  John kissed the edge of Tracy’s cheek, placing short, sweet pecks along her jawline before claiming her lips. Adonna rolled, shaking, waiting. A small electrical shock danced across their skin.

  John snickered. “You’re driving her crazy, Jace. She’s right there. You know you want her.”

  Adonna rolled and jolted, skating across Tracy’s skin.

  “I feel him,” John’s eyes widened. “Oh, shit.”

  His entire body quaked, his skin heating beneath hers.

  Adonna went rigid within Tracy, her very essence tingling with anticipation. John tightened his grip, flattening their bodies together. The jolt flashed from John’s skin, sizzling into Tracy, burning and twisting until it found what lay in wait for him.

  Tracy threw her head back and moaned as Jace’s essence soaked through Adonna. So tender, so caring, so gentle. A sense of calm overcame her entire being before pressure began to build.

  John pulled Tracy to him and kissed her, his own lips trembling as the entities spun, flashed and devoured each other. Such heat, such need, Tracy fought not to explode. Tears streamed down her face as John continued to claim her lips, their tongues mimicking the frolicking of their entities as they immersed themselves in each other. Taking, but also giving with no regard to the outcome, other than making themselves one.

  A small whimper escaped Tracy’s lips, the tension within her too much to bear. John released their kiss as he cried out.

  An explosion of energy rocketed between them and she echoed John’s cry as her body ignited, as if succumbing to liquid flames.

  The onslaught subsided and Jace’s energy slowly seeped back toward his host. John leaned Tracy down to the couch and collapsed atop her, gasping for air.

  “Holy shit,” John whispered. He looked up. “Are you okay?”

  Tracy nodded, wiping growing tears from her eyes.

  Damn. She hadn’t even gotten his jeans off.

  She forced a smile through her panting lips. “I think it’s safe to say Jace is in good form.”

  John’s laugh cut off as his eyes sprang open. He looked to the side and sat up.

  Had Jace finally spoken?

  John held his head, massaging his temples. An eternity seemed to pass.

  “I understand,” he finally whispered. “No, I don’t expect you to be Dak.” His moist eyes darted to the window. “I believe you. You’re right. Maybe this was better.” He laughed, holding his head.

  What do you think they’re saying?

  *I don’t care. As long as everything is okay.*

  John turned to Tracy. “Yes, I am in love with her. I think I have been since the day we met.”

  Tracy’s stomach flipped and centered itself.

  Love.

  She’d felt it from him, but was never sure it wasn’t her imagination. And here he was, expressing his heart to the one person he couldn’t lie to: the entity who could read his thoughts.

  *We’re going to be together!*

  Shush.

  John smiled and lowered his gaze. “I will.”

  He seemed to be collecting his thoughts. Either that, or counting the pile in the carpet. Tracy left him to his task. Even though they’d coaxed the entity out, Jace talking after so long had to stir up a lot of memories. How John dealt with those ghosts would define their future together.

  With a nod of the head, he looked up. “We’re going to be okay.” He turned to Tracy. “Yeah. Definitely okay.”

  Tracy didn’t bother wiping her tears away. She climbed into his lap and buried her head in his neck. “I love you so much.”

  She bobbled against his chest as he laughed.

  “Careful,” he said. “I seem to remember these things being horny twenty-four seven. You don’t want to start the engine going again.”

  Tracy inched up for a deep kiss. This time, meant for John and only John.

  Their entities left their hosts to themselves, leaving their humans to seek and find each other again. Their rediscovery broke time itself, leaving them in a glorious void of learning and relearning. Tracy trembled with each stroke of John’s hands, each touch of his lips.

  Yes, they were going to be okay.

  All four of them.

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  A note from the author: If you enjoyed INVADED I’d love it if you took a few moments to leave a short review. Reviews are like fine-spun gold to authors, and your opinions could help others make decisions on which books to consider reading for themselves. Not only that. It would make me REALLY REALLY happy. (And no one wants an unhappy author.)

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  Thanks!

  Things can’t get any worse than being snatched by a dragon, until Anna is dropped into a bloodthirsty battle for the Draconic crown.

  Scroll down to enjoy the first two chapters of Jennifer M. Eaton’s #1 Best Seller DRAGON MOUNT

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  Thanks so much for reading. If you enjoy INVADED, please visit the link below to discover more great adventures by Jennifer M. Eaton.

  www.jennifereaton.com

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nowledgments

  Invaded was a lesson in perseverance for me. I started this book on March 27, 2014 and finished the first draft on June 6, 2014. It was 56,000 words (about half its final length). Soon after this, something magical happened… I signed a three-book deal for FIRE IN THE WOODS. Wonderful news for me, but not good news for INVADED. My life turned into a whirlwind that day, and writing became a job rather than an outlet. The manuscript sat, forgotten, as I wrote five new novels.

  In 2016, scrolling through my manuscript file, I came across a mystery file called “INVADED”. To be honest, I barely even remember writing it. The manuscript was a shell of what it is today, filled with problems and plot holes, but I rediscovered the spark that had driven me to write a novel at twice my normal speed. The concept resonated with me, and I found myself falling back into the world again.

  The challenge of writing a thriller and a romance with six personalities living in three bodies was a huge undertaking. I received a lot of professional feedback on this novel and revisions went on for an additional two years before I started submitting to publishers (Thus, getting even more feedback).

  Invaded is still, and will probably remain, the “odd duck” in my catalog. I know it is a strange blend of genres. There aren’t too many urban science fiction paranormal serial killer murder mystery romances out there. Still, I send it out to the world hoping readers will enjoy it. As grueling as this experience was, over time it became a labor of love, and words on a page mean nothing until they are read.

  As far as acknowledgements go, I always like to start by thanking my husband, who puts up with my crazy need to write. Also my kids, who’ve grown up with the insanity of having an author in the house.

  Special thanks to the following people who gave personal and professional advice on this novel over the years: Anna Simpson, Claire Gillian, JK Ford, Julie Reece, Sheryl Winters, Melissa Crispin, Kelly Said, Sharon Hughson, Jocelyn Adams, Terri Rochenski, Entangled Publishing, and The Wild Rose Press. Thank you so much for your little nuggets of wisdom along the way.

  Finally, thanks to my official editing team who helped slap this manuscript into shape for publication: my developmental editor, Latoya Smith; and my proofreaders, who were the last sets of eyes on this twisted tome: Chelsea Clemmons Moye, and Tandy Boese of Tandy Proofreads. Without them, my i’s would have no dots, and my t’s would never be crossed. (There would also probably be 50,000 more commas.)

  And, of course, special thanks to you for reading. I know this book was out there, but I sure hope you enjoyed it. And if you start hearing little voices in your head, or craving odd food, beware the FBI agents in black suits.

  Alien Kisses!

  —Jennifer

  About the Author

  Jennifer M. Eaton hails from the eastern shore of the North American Continent on planet Earth. Yes, regrettably, she is human, but please don’t hold that against her.

  While not traipsing through the galaxy looking for specimens for her space moth collection, she lives with her wonderfully supportive husband, three energetic offspring, and a duo of poodles who run the spaceport when she’s not around.

  During infrequent excursions to her home planet of Earth, Jennifer enjoys long hikes in the woods, bicycling, swimming, snorkeling, and snuggling up by the fire with a great book; but great adventures are always a short shuttle ride away.

  Read more from Jennifer M. Eaton

  www.jennifereaton.com

  Preview of Dragon Mount

  Chapter 1

  Anna didn’t need a man. What she needed was a dragon—a big, hulking, nasty dragon fully capable of biting the head off of any jerk who even thought of hurting her. As she breathed in the essence of moonflowers drifting on the breeze, she knew this would be the place to find what she was looking for.

  Well, she might not exactly find a dragon in New Zealand, but maybe enough magic to help her forget and start over.

  A woman on the street corner spun a rack of postcards displaying pictures of the country’s pristine landscape. Anna’s stomach soured as she tucked back the dark hair that blew into her eyes. She and Andrew had dreamed of sitting in a little café, filling out postcards just like those, writing Wish you were here, suckers! over and over again. A hint of a smile touched her lips, before it fell away.

  When they first started planning this vacation it was a pipe dream—the mutual coup de gras of their bucket lists. It was supposed to be their honeymoon.

  Until a honeymoon was no longer needed.

  “Stop thinking about him.” Her sister didn’t even look up from her fistful of pamphlets. “I can smell you brooding from here.”

  The sun slipped toward the peaks in the distance, ending a day filled with terminals, planes, and busses. Anna shielded her eyes as the sky exploded with an orange and pink glow.

  “It says here that those mountains you’re staring at are called Aoraki.” Sybil pointed to the text. “The original settlers believed that the sons of the sky god got their canoe stuck on a reef. They froze to death and became the mountains.” She smiled. “That’s kind of creepy. Right up your alley.”

  Anna took a step toward the postcard vendor and stopped herself. Postcards were meaningless, but fun. They’d always been a favorite part of every vacation. But maybe not anymore.

  She closed her eyes. How many things would she have to give up because they reminded her of him?

  “Right now these Maori people are celebrating some sort of ancient fertility festival called the Seventeen Year.” Sybil snorted. “Fertility, huh? Sounds like my kind of party.”

  Of course it was. Anything her sister could relate to sex was a good time. How could she be so flippant about things like that when guys…

  Sybil lowered the pamphlets. “Stop. Thinking. About. Him.”

  Anna sighed. How could she stop? She was standing on a street in New Zealand, where they’d dreamed of going since forever.

  A fistful of brochures slapped Anna’s cheek. She stood stunned, gaping.

  “You are going to enjoy this vacation if it kills me.” Sybil pointed the pamphlets at her like a sword.

  Leave it to her sister to drag them both back to elementary school tactics.

  A laugh popped out of Anna’s mouth as she splayed her hands. “I’m sorry. This is just harder than I thought it would be.” That was the hugest of understatements. “But I’m okay.” She nodded to herself. “I need this.”

  More like she needed to do this. New Zealand wasn’t only her and Andrew’s dream. It was her dream. That didn’t change because he was out of the picture.

  “What you need is a nice, stiff drink.”

  Anna smiled. It probably couldn’t hurt. “I think I need some time for all this to soak in.”

  “Then let’s call this a good start.” Sybil raised her hand into the air. “Taxi!”

  “Wait. Where are we going?”

  Her sister glanced back at her. “Like I said, to get a drink.”

  “Is there something wrong with the hotel bar?”

  Sybil waved at one of the approaching yellow cars. “Yes, it’s packed with tourists. I want to meet some New Zealanders.”

  Her sister, the quintessential party girl. “We haven’t even unpacked and you already want to go bar hopping?”

  “Oh, come on.” Sybil was inside the cab before Anna could argue. “Believe me, once this vacation is over, you’ll be a new person.”

  Was there something wrong with her old person? Anna didn’t think so.

  Well, not her old-old person. Growing up, she’d been ready for anything. She and Andrew were going to take on the world together.

  Until she caught him in bed with someone else.

  Mom had always called Anna a miniature explosion, ready to take on the world. The firecracker inside Anna had extinguished that night, and she hadn’t found a way to rekindle the spark.

  She closed her eyes and swallowed the painful ball building in her throat. She was here to forget—to erase the bad and come
home as a clean slate, ready to start over. This started by proving to herself that life no longer revolved around one guy.

  In the distance, a large black bird soared toward the mountains. It circled as if it flew for the pure pleasure of feeling the wind in its feathers. That’s what she needed, the confidence to spread her wings and glide toward the horizon.

  Sybil glared at her. “Don’t make me drag you into this car.”

  Anna sucked in a deep breath before she slipped onto the worn, black seat beside her sister. “One drink. Promise.”

  Her sister made a spectacle of rolling her eyes.

  “Where to?” The driver’s accent made it sound like Wayer-tou.

  Sybil leaned up and handed a brochure to him. She pointed to a handwritten note on the top of the page. “Do you know where this is?”

  He snorted. “Kinda off the beaten path for a couple of Sheilas.”

  Sybil flopped back in her seat. “Sounds perfect.”

  Off the beaten path? Was she out of her mind?

  Anna leaned closer as the cab pulled from the sidewalk. “This is crazy. We are in a foreign country with—”

  “Not a care in the world.” She tapped Anna’s knee. “Relax. Trust me. We’re going to see where real New Zealanders hang out.”

  Great. Just great.

  Anna stared out the window as they left civilization behind. The approaching dusk cast a deepening haze over the hillside as clean, undisturbed green stretched out as far as the eye could see. The tension eased from Anna’s shoulders as she lost herself in undefiled nature.

  She hated to admit it, but those rolling fields reached inside and mended part of the hole torn in her heart. She couldn’t imagine living somewhere with so much incredibly beautiful nothing.