Wicked Love

by Michelle Dare

  About M.C. Cerny

  M.C. Cerny is a USA Today Bestselling author of fresh sexy books. She experienced her first real ugly cry reading, Where The Red Fern Grows, and never looked back. She lives with a menagerie of human and feline fur-babies in rural NJ. When M.C. is not writing, you'll find her lurking in Starbucks, running stupid marathons, and eating all the tacos.

  Visit her at: www.authormccerny.com

  Sign up for her monthly newsletter at: http://bit.ly/MCCernyNewsletter

  A Very Avynwood Halloween

  Michelle Dare

  Decked out in their costumes, the Verascue brothers are ready to enjoy Halloween with the Avynwood Pack. When a stalker appears, the fun and games end, and the brothers go from the life of the party to the vicious vampires they can be.

  Copyright

  A Very Avynwood Halloween

  Copyright ©2020 Michelle Dare

  Editing by Barren Acres Editing

  Proofreading by Landers Editorial Services

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

  All rights reserved. This book contains material protected under International and Federal Copyright Laws and Treaties. Any unauthorized reprint or use of this material is prohibited. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without express written permission from the author/publisher.

  1

  Ford

  “Brother!” Solomon yells as he runs up the stairs to the main floor of my house. His breath comes in short pants when he stops by the couch where I’m currently sitting.

  “Yes? Did you need something?” I keep my tone calm and casual. That should rile him up.

  Instead of taking the bait, he shoves something in my face. I take the thick stock paper from him and my fingers run over the raised design around the edges. “An invitation?”

  “Would you just read it?” He practically dances in place.

  I turn it over. The invitation is black with orange pumpkins and green vines embossed around the edges. In the middle reads:

  Do you dare to join us for a scare the likes of which you cannot bear to miss this Halloween?

  Fae wine will be served.

  Costumes will be observed.

  Dress in your Halloween best.

  You’ll be our guest.

  We insist you enter the contest.

  Lealla and Aries will be the judges.

  They don’t hold any grudges.

  Magic is not to be used.

  Shifting is not excused.

  Originality is key.

  There won’t be a fee.

  Only one will prevail,

  While the others will fail.

  To entertain the judges with their looks,

  This will go down in the books

  As the best party ever,

  So be sure to be clever.

  Join us on Halloween.

  It will be quite the frightening scene.

  When I look up, Sol is positively beaming with excitement.

  “I’m guessing you want to go,” I say.

  “Of course, I want to go! How could we not?”

  “And you couldn’t have teleported over here to give me this? You had to run from your house to mine?”

  Having my brother as my neighbor is a blessing and a curse. I love him. He’s my family and I’d do anything for him, his mate, and their daughter. But when you’re a vampire and have exceptional hearing, you know everything that goes on in the house next door.

  The only rooms that are protected in both our homes are the bedrooms. Solomon’s mate is half cheetah shifter/half fae. Well, she has vampire powers too, thanks to Sol gifting them to her via bite. Lilah used her fae magic to put wards in place so nothing can be heard in those spaces. We decided together to leave the rest of the homes open to sound. This way, if fate forbid something bad happens, we can hear and be there with a snap of our fingers.

  “You know damn well if I teleported in here, it wouldn’t have been nearly as dramatic as me running over and handing you the invite.”

  “How did you even get this? I can’t tell you when the last time I checked my mailbox was.”

  “Wake delivered it. He said that one’s for all of us.” Wake is one of our best friends who’s also the son of the Avynwood Pack’s alpha, Aries Raines.

  “I’m a little irritated he brought it to you and not me,” I state. I’m not. At all.

  Sol crosses his arms and smirks. It’s the same gesture all our friends have titled the Verascue smirk. We both happen to like the term and use it. We’re the most powerful vampire family out there. “We’ve had this conversation. Jealousy isn’t a good look on you.”

  “No,” I reply. “It looks much better on you.” Reaching down, I pull an invitation from my side where I tucked it against the couch and wave it at my brother.

  He gasps loudly. “No! That lying wolf! How could he?”

  Now it’s my turn to smirk. “I told him to. Once the seed was planted, he was totally on board with having some fun with you.”

  “And what fun it is,” Wake says as he strides into the room. His dark brown hair is a little longer than it’s been. It’s still short, but he decided to let it grow so his mate has something to hold on to when they’re in bed. Wake’s brown eyes give away how much he enjoys messing with my brother.

  “Scoundrel!” Sol yells. “You know what you have to do now, don’t you?”

  “Oh, fate, here it comes,” I mutter.

  “You both have to wear matching costumes with me to make up for how mean you two just were.”

  I jump to my feet. “No! That’s not going to happen. We screw with you all the time and we never have punishments as bad as matching costumes.”

  Sol shakes his head. “And here I thought you both loved me. I see how it is. I’ll just have to get my kitten to match me.”

  “Lilah’s not going to wear a matching costume with you,” I say. Honestly, I’m not sure if she will or not.

  Straightening his spine and lifting his head proudly, he says, “She will because she loves me. Unlike you two.”

  Wake slings his arm over my brother’s shoulders. “Awww, chin up, Sol. I’d love to but I can’t. I’ve got matching costumes with Paige and the girls.”

  “What are you going to be?” Sol asks with a slight smile. He’s not really mad. Maybe he would have liked us to have matching costumes, but in the end, he’ll do what he wants and dress in whatever he thinks will make him look the best. After all, there’s a contest involved. The Verascues are highly competitive.

  “The girls are into unicorns, so Paige found costumes for the family, horns and all. At first, I wasn’t sure about the idea but then she showed me the dress she’s going to wear and yeah, I was on board after that. It’s white and clings to her curves. Hits about mid-thigh. She bought this pink and purple wig. It’s going to be a good night.” He grins.

  I snort. “Yeah, once you get the girls into bed after the party.”

  “Screw that. I’m handing them off to someone in the pack and making use of the empty house we’ll have. Teleporting has many perks.”

  “Dammit!” Sol stomps his foot. “Now I can’t be a unicorn.”

  “Was that even in the running?” I ask.

  “No, but now that I know I can’t be one, I’m disappointed.”

  “You really are a child, brother.”

  “I’m the reason you have fun, so stop giving me grief.”

  Sol smiles wide all of a sudden.

  “What’s that look for?” I ask.

  “I just figured out what I’m going to be for Halloween. I’m going to make sure Lilah’s on board because, holy fate, she’d look amazi
ng in what I have planned.”

  “I don’t even want to know.” I shake my head. I could try to read his mind and find out; however, his blocking abilities are better than mine.

  “Don’t worry, brother. It’s going to be a surprise.”

  Just like that, Sol snaps and teleports out of the room. I shouldn’t be shocked with how often he comes and goes. He has a habit of disappearing whenever the mood strikes him, whether he’s mid-conversation or not.

  “You’re going, right?” Wake asks me.

  “Absolutely. I’m not going to miss a Halloween party. Especially one where my brother may make a huge fool of himself in front of the entire pack and extended family.” Everyone who is close friends with the pack members and their mates is considered part of their family. They don’t care what kind of paranormal you are or if you’re human. If you’re mated or friends with one of us, then you’re in.

  “You’ve got time until the party. Make sure you have everything ready. Ari and Paige are in charge of the decorations.”

  I chuckle. “I’ve seen what Ari does for Christmas. I cannot imagine the number of decorations she’s going to put up for Halloween.”

  I have quite a few friends I’m close with—my best friends. Ariane is one of them. She’s mated to Wake’s cousin, Orion. She’s one of the most special paranormals out there. Most shifters find out they are one as a child. Ari was eighteen when she first shifted into a wolf. Before that even happened, I had given her some of my powers. I also may have had a crush on her, but that’s no longer the case. I’m happily mated.

  “I have to get back home,” Wake says, interrupting my thoughts. “Paige is deep in the planning phase with Ari, so I need to watch the girls. See ya.” He teleports out of the room.

  Once again, I’m alone. My mate and Sol’s are down on the beach with Sol’s daughter. Our houses are oceanfront on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. I first made my home here then Sol followed. We have houses all over the world, but this is my favorite spot. There’s nothing quite like hearing the waves lap at the shore to lull me to sleep. Even in the peak of tourist season, I love it here. It helps that I can teleport to leave the barrier islands and don’t have to sit in traffic if I want to go somewhere else.

  Now, to think of my Halloween costume. I have no idea what I should dress as. Though Sienna would look amazing in leather. I’ve been trying to get her into some for a while now. After all, my signature look is a very soft leather, trench coat I’ve been known to wear, regardless of the season. I do dress in other things, however. Right now, for example, I have on a pair of shorts and a T-shirt. Very unassuming. At least in the trench I look badass. In this I look like everyone else. Sometimes it’s good to blend in.

  Vampires can be out in sunlight. We’re not bound by myths, though my family is one of legend. We do as we please and have enough money to quell our every desire.

  Maybe I can hire someone to design costumes for me and my mate. It’s not a bad idea. I can’t wait to cause some mayhem. My brother and I have been known to fight with anyone willing, especially each other, when there’s a party. I don’t think a gathering goes by without some sort of argument happening. Even if we aren’t the ones to start it, we’re ready to jump in and throw fists at whomever is there. Vampire strength does have its perks against shifters. They may be strong but we’re stronger.

  The downstairs door opens, alerting me to the return of my mate. Sienna makes no noise as she climbs the stairs. Paranormals are soundless when we walk, especially shifters. My mate is a fox. I have loved her since I first laid eyes on her. Our journey to finally being together wasn’t an easy one, but it was well worth everything we went through to get here.

  “Hey, honey,” I say as she enters. Her long, light blonde hair is pulled up into a high ponytail. When her fox rises up, her eyes change from their light green color to a brilliant shade of amethyst. I love seeing them. I love every part of her.

  “I love you, too,” she says, reading my mind. She walks over and drops sideways onto my lap. Sand falls from her clothes onto my shirt and shorts.

  “Were you rolling around on the beach?”

  She smiles this gorgeous heart-stopping smile. It makes my heart speed up at just how beautiful she is. And I’m the lucky one who gets to spend eternity with her. “Lilah put Jupiter’s feet in the sand. She wasn’t a fan and kicked it all over us.” Sienna lifts her hands into her hair and shakes more of the tiny, gritty granules out.

  “For the love of fate, you’re getting it everywhere,” I complain. “You’re going to have to ask Lilah to get over here and magic it away.”

  “Or you could actually get off your old vampire butt and get the vacuum out of the closet to do it yourself.”

  “You’re talking mad, female.” In truth, I don’t mind doing chores around the house. It makes me feel domesticated.

  Sienna leans in and stops when her lips are a millimeter away from mine. “If you clean up the mess I just made, I’ll let you help me get the rest of this sand off me in the shower.”

  “Now that’s what I’m talking about.” I close the distance between us and take possession of her sweet lips.

  2

  Solomon

  Excitement is rich in the air. I can feel it on my skin. It’s finally here. The night of the Halloween party.

  “You need to get a grip,” my mate says from my side.

  “How can you not be excited? I’m dressed to win. I have no idea what the prize is, but it will be mine.” I’m pretty confident I can win this thing. We’re supposed to be creative and it doesn’t get any better than this. Too bad Lilah wouldn’t use her magic to make my costume over the top.

  “You know the rules,” she says, reading my mind. “The invitation said no magic.”

  I roll my eyes. “How would anyone know?”

  “Seriously? You’re going to a party where there will be a bunch of paranormals, who can read minds, and some who can break through that block of yours.”

  “Pfffttt, maybe Kylest and his sister. That’s about it. Ford can’t get in my head.” The fae siblings are also royalty and the most powerful fae in existence.

  “No, but your mother can.”

  The blood drains from my face. “Is she going? Did someone invite her? I thought we’d be free of her for the evening. This changes everything. I don’t know if I’m in the mood to deal with her. You’re destroying my buzz, kitten!” I love my parents, I really do, but in small doses.

  Eloise Verascue is a lot to take in, never mind at a party, which could last hours. She’s going to have something to say about how I’m dressed, I know it.

  “I’d be surprised if she weren’t there,” Lilah states. “You know how much the pack enjoys it when your parents visit. Plus, they have the added benefit of keeping you and your brother in line. Outside of Sienna and me, no one else can do that besides your parents.”

  “I don’t need to be kept in line. There’s nothing wrong with me. I’m a treat to be around. Entertainment follows me. There’s never a dull moment. How can you even think I need a disciplinarian?” I scoff. The nerve of this female.

  “Oh, for fate’s sake. I’m not new, Sol. I know you better than you know yourself. I’ve actually gotten to the point where I can predict your moves before you make them.”

  “That’s only because you can see inside my head.”

  “You think so little of my power of observation? I see you.”

  “What about now?”

  “You’re about to take Jupiter and teleport to the party without me because you’re irritated I’m right.” Dammit! She is right. I don’t like that I’ve become predictable. I need to put a stop to it. Mix it up. Make sure no one has any inkling of what I’m going to do.

  Lilah puts her arm around my waist and leans her head on my shoulder. “Stop pouting and don’t change anything. You know I love you and your quirks. Now put your arm around me and teleport us to the party.”

  Our daughter, Jupiter, is crad
led in Lilah’s other arm. She looks like her mother, by the shape of her face, but she has my silver eyes and light blonde hair.

  I give my mate a quick once-over, making sure her costume is on point. Her brown hair is down in long waves over her shoulders. She has on a headband with lacy pointed ears on it. Her pants are black and skintight. Her top is molded to her chest but that part only covers her breasts. The area above and below it is sheer black lace. Long, black, lacy sleeves connect to wings, making her look like the most gorgeous bat that ever lived. And I can’t forget the black stilettos she paired with it.

  “I still can’t believe this is what you chose to go as. A bat of all things.” I wanted her to dress as something else that would complete my look. Alas, Lilah couldn’t be swayed.

  “I’m not going to the party to win any contest. I’m going to get the hell out of the house and hand this baby off to someone else to watch for the evening while I have a good time, which may or may not include pulling you into one of the spare rooms and having my wicked way with you.”

  “When you put it like that, I don’t care what you wear. I’m still in it to win it, though. I want the title. I want to be the best.”

  “Your competitive streak is only matched by the others in your bloodline.”

  “Okay, now we really have to go. I have to see what Ford dressed as. Are you ready, Jupiter?” I ask as I look down at her.

  Jupiter is still so small. We didn’t want to put anything elaborate on her. We wanted something she would feel comfortable in. So, while it’s not the most original costume, she is just the cutest dressed up like a big, round pumpkin with a stem for a hat.

  I put my arm around Lilah’s waist and use my free hand to snap and teleport us to the outside of the Avynwood Pack House. The home is enormous. It has to be to hold the entire pack, their mates, and their children. Grey stone makes up the exterior of the three-story home. It’s as long as multiple homes put together. We’re standing in the middle of the semicircle drive. Before us are the large, emerald double doors that are the main entrance to the house.