Cimmerian Shade: A Limited Edition Paranormal Romance & Urban Fantasy Collection

by Kiki Howell

  Paige closed the door and turned toward her roommates, her coven.

  “Gwen? Can you find the rest of the dried ingredients? I’ll go get the candle and ankh.” Summer looked to Ember. “Do you want to wash the table?”

  “Yeah, I can do that.”

  Paige followed Ember into the kitchen. “Thanks. You don’t have to help.” It was obvious Gwen and Summer were going to assist in the spell. It would be more than enough.

  Ember bit her lip. “No, I’m here for you.” She took a deep breath and let it go in a heavy sigh. “It’s important that I try.”

  Paige squeezed her arm. “Thank you.”

  Once wiped down, Gwen built the nest of herbs on the kitchen table and Summer lit a candle.

  Summer and Gwen each placed a hand on her arm while she heated the stem of the ankh. Ember stood across the table, eyes wide, but she reached out to rest her hand on Paige’s. Smiling at the redhead, she felt their magic grow together. Compared to the trickle of magic that powered the initial spell, this was a raging river. She didn’t worry about her emotions getting in the way, although she would bet that flood would obliterate any lingering doubts. There were none. That afternoon had sealed it; she wouldn’t pine for him and she needed him to stop obsessing over her.

  “Sever his eyes from me. Return them where they belong.” Shoving the hot metal into the herbs, it made a cloud that rose and swirled over them before settling on Paige.

  A moment later, the spell was done. Paige slumped slightly, instantly tired. The others bore no such symptoms, chatting away.

  “I think that went well.”

  “Yes, it was more powerful for sure.”

  “We won’t know if it worked until tomorrow.”

  “Thank you.” Paige’s voice came out as a croak. “I’m going to bed.”

  “Take care.”

  “Good night.”

  “Let us know if you need anything.”

  Curled under her covers, Paige slept easily for the first time in weeks.

  “THERE, THERE, JANE. I promise, it won’t be painful.” The pastor and his acolyte took her by bound arms to position her in the gallows. Eunice, on her left, already had a noose around her neck.

  “No good deed goes unpunished,” she said, shaking her head.

  “I’m so sorry.” She sobbed, unable to wipe the tears and snot that ran down her face. “They hurt me.”

  Eunice cut her off. “I know that. Frankly, I’m surprised you held out as long as you did. Must have been all those beatings.”

  She tossed her head vigorously, tears shaking free. “I can’t...I don’t want to die.”

  “Hey, Jane, stand straight.” Eunice spoke with an authority Paige couldn’t deny. It seemed her words alone straightened her spine. “You’re giving them exactly what they want. Take it back. Take your strength, your courage, and walk with me into the next life.”

  “With you?” Her sobs eased.

  Paige tried to recall seeing the old woman smile, and facing it now, she was sure she’d never received one before. “Yes, fool girl. I’ll see you through the next as well.”

  Paige only had time to lift her chin and smile at those here to watch her hang before the block was kicked from under her. The pastor was right. It hardly hurt at all.

  PAIGE WOKE WITH A START, clutching her chest. Thank God those stories about never waking if you died in your dreams were a crock. She could still hear the sound of her own neck snapping.

  “Eunice,” she murmured. That couldn’t be her friend, could it? Even if it was, this Eunice would know nothing about it and think her nuts if she said anything. Paige would continue to be grateful for her friend. A friend who knew her so well, she could tell just by her arrival that something had changed. A fact proven when she arrived for class.

  Looking from Paige to Ben, she came to her conclusion. “About time.” She didn’t say anything more until Ben reluctantly left them for the washroom. “So, what finally woke you up? I mean, I get Dr. Gonzales, he’s yummy, but you’ve had Ben in the palm of your hand since September. What changed?”

  Could she explain, without saying that Jose had pressed her? She should keep it vague. “He dropped by and we talked, and cooked.”

  “He cooks?” Eunice’s black brows climbed toward her hairline.

  She shrugged. “Well, he flips, anyway.”

  That made Eunice laugh. “So after...”

  Paige shook her head. “We haven’t gotten that far yet. I mean, I want to, but I’m still kinda messed up.”

  “Wow, you did have it bad.”

  Just then, Dr. Gonzales entered the corridor and Paige held her breath. She had arrived close enough to the start of the lecture that any change wasn’t clear. Now he passed by without looking at her. She sighed in relief. He hadn’t been able to avoid making eye contact since she’d cast the first spell, even with the ankh put away.

  “What did I miss?” Ben asked.

  “Absolutely nothing,” Paige answered with a smile.

  “I’m going to split.” Eunice was not subtle with the grin she gave them, the one that said, you two need time alone.

  Ben slipped his arm around her waist. “Where to?”

  Paige shrugged. “What do you suggest?”

  “Let’s get off campus, find something good to eat.” He took her hand, leading her away.

  Although they snuck in a few pecks, most of lunch was filled with Ben’s attempts to make her laugh, the majority of which worked so well that they got dirty looks from other patrons until she stifled her giggles.

  Better was after clinical, when he followed her back to her house. Holding the door open for him, she could see Geoffrey behind Ben, next to the stairs. “Why don’t you find something to snack on? I’m going to relieve myself.”

  “Uh, yeah, sounds good.” He kissed her cheek before heading into the kitchen.

  “He’s still following you.” Geoffrey didn’t move from the hot spot, looking toward Ben.

  She waited until he opened a cupboard door to answer the ghost. “And I’m lucky he is.”

  Goeffrey reached out and set a cold, ephemeral hand on her arm. “Yeah, I saw that. If he hadn’t been there, I would have tried to help.”

  She recalled him shouting at her and rattling the cupboards. “I know you would. Thank you.”

  Ben crunched on a cracker, closer than she expected. “No problem.” He offered her the box. “All good?”

  “Yeah.”

  “So, does this mean...?” He quirked an eyebrow and looked upstairs.

  She turned to follow his gaze. “Well, we’ll want to go there to avoid annoying my roommates, but not for that. I...I’m not—”

  He took both her hands and squeezed. “No, you don’t have to say it. I get it.” He looked toward the kitchen next. “You cooking again?”

  Her jaw dropped. “You have crackers in your hand!”

  He scoffed. “Please, this is nothing.”

  She laughed and pulled him by one hand up the stairs, giving Geoffrey a wink. He shook his head, muttering about modesty. Geez, she wasn’t going to do that.

  “Well, I’m not cooking tonight. I don’t think anyone is. More of a ‘fend-for-yourself’ day.”

  “Bummer. I never seem to be able to fend enough.” He rubbed his belly which made her laugh as well. Then he set the crackers on her dresser and looked at her bed. She watched his Adam’s apple bob in his throat as he swallowed. “So.”

  “Don’t get all serious on me.” She poked him in the ribs before plopping onto the mattress, half lounging on her elbows. “If you make it too serious, I’ll freak out.”

  He grinned. “Right. No serious.” He leaned over her and her breath caught in her throat. He came close enough for her to see the freckle under his left eye, the heat of his body warming hers. Tilting his head, he put his lips to her ear, cupping the opposite cheek. Then he blew a big raspberry on her.

  She screamed and kicked in surprise and delight. He grabbed her around t
he waist when she tried to push away and tossed her sideways across the bed. Launching himself up, he came to rest on his elbow a modest distance from herself. She touched his cheek, traced his jaw, and brought her fingers up to his mouth. He bit one of her fingers and she flicked his nose in return.

  “Now you’re getting serious,” he warned.

  “Yeah, I think I am.”

  Chapter Ten

  A MONTH AFTER casting her second spell, Dr. Gonzales called her up at the end of class. “Miss Brown? A word?”

  “I’ll catch up,” she promised Ben, giving his hand a squeeze.

  “Okay.” He followed Eunice out, leaving Paige alone with the doctor for the first time since she’d cast the severing spell.

  “Is there something wrong with my paper?” It wasn’t her best work, but she didn’t think it was bad.

  “No, nothing wrong. I just...” He took a deep breath before finding his words. “I wanted to apologize for my behavior. It wasn’t fair of me to put you in that position.”

  Heat flared in her cheeks at the memories of the positions he had put her in.

  He flushed too. “What I mean is, in another time, another place, I wouldn’t have fought my attraction to you.”

  She blinked and shook her head once, sure she’d misheard. “You, you’re still attracted to me?”

  He grinned. “Definitely. You might be a tad young for me, but in other ways, you are just my type.” His eyes drifted down and she shifted her weight. It wasn’t an unfamiliar gaze, but it had been a while since he last looked at her like that. “If you find, next year or the one after that, you want to give me a call, you have my number.”

  She broke eye contact to look at the floor. “Thank you. I don’t think that’ll happen, but thank you.”

  His hand brushed her cheek, cupping her chin, and tilting her head to look at him again. “No, thank you.” Pulling his hand back, he turned to his papers and books, packing them up.

  She stayed behind when he left, a bit shocked. It wasn’t all the spell? Happy with Ben, there was no way she was taking him up on that offer, but it gave her a huge boost of confidence.

  “Hey, Paige, you coming?” Ben called from one of the doors.

  “Yep!” She raced up the stairs and collided with him in a hug that would have knocked a lesser man down. Ben only swayed.

  “Good, because you’re my partner now.”

  She cocked her head, not intimidated by the suggestion, but surprised.

  “In clinical? What did you think I meant?”

  Chuckling, she shook her head. “Nothing.”

  Clinical was tedious, but they brushed hands and bumped hips often enough to make them both eager to get out of there and into the privacy of the old house on Holly Street. Well, she did have roommates, but it beat Ben’s dorm room any day.

  The door hadn’t even closed before Ben pulled her close for a kiss. It wasn’t a quick peck. Ben devoured her, his plump lips sealing with her own.

  “I’ve been waiting all day to do that.”

  She didn’t answer, head still spinning.

  “Hello?” Gwen emerged from her room at the top of the staircase.

  Paige found her voice again. “Hey, Gwen. Just us.” She looked up to her blonde roommate. Unusual lines drew down the corners of her mouth and crossed her forehead. “Everything okay?”

  She sighed and shook her head. “No, but I’ll get through it.”

  Paige looked from Ben to Gwen, torn. She wanted to help Gwen with her problem, but she was still itching for some alone time with him.

  Gwen shook her head. “Uh-uh, don’t let me bring you guys down. Have fun and I’m...going for ice cream.” She gave a forced smile that didn’t ease the creases on her brow.

  “Okay,” Paige relented, “but we’re going to talk about it later.”

  The lines faded. “Yeah, that’ll be good.” She gave Paige a slight shove toward Ben. “Now go. You look like you’re both itching to be scratched.” She slid past them down the stairs, and Paige hesitated a moment longer.

  “She’s gone,” Ben reminded her.

  “I’m going with her.” Geoffrey appeared outside Summer’s bedroom door. “Don’t worry.”

  Even though Ben couldn’t hear or see the ghost, he commented on the relief that eased Paige’s shoulders down. “That’s better.”

  Closing her bedroom door behind him, he whispered. “This is okay?” His hands slipped over her hips to cup her bottom.

  “Definitely, and you don’t have to whisper.” Sinking her fingers into his short, coarse curls, she pulled him down for another kiss.

  He resisted, leaning back instead, shoulders flush to the door. Using his leverage on her ass, he lifted her to his hips.

  Instinct tightened her inner thighs, holding on, but she started to shift. “No, I’m too heavy.”

  “Fuck that.” He ran his hands up her sides, pushing her shirt off her ribs. “You’re a part of me.”

  She gasped, pulling her head back slightly to see his expression. Did he mean that? Was she ready for that? His eyes were wide with surprise too.

  “I mean, your weight is mixed with mine. That you don’t weight on me.” Despite his words, he let her legs slide until her feet touched the floor. “I wasn’t thinking. I’m not...I’m not the rebound guy, am I?”

  She chuckled. “Definitely not. It was a crush, an infatuation. Dr. Gonzales and I didn’t have something real. Not like this.” Fingers running over his distinct abs, she moved his shirt out of the way, falling to her knees.

  “You don’t have to do that.” He took hold of her hands when they reached for his belt.

  “I know.” She looked up and saw the heat in his cheeks, how dark his eyes had become. “I want it.” Pulling free, she unfastened his jeans and pushed pants and shorts aside.

  He was a big guy, and here no less than elsewhere. A moment of trepidation left her wondering if she could actually fit him in her mouth. Rather than worry about what she couldn’t do, she went ahead with what she could, rolling her tongue around his tip, tasting pre-cum before sucking the head into her mouth. She stroked him, even though her mouth wasn’t sliding nicely, not the way she wanted.

  Ben had no complaints. “Fuck, Paige. You’re getting it next, y’know. I’m gonna eat you up. Shit.”

  Her free hand came to his sack, massaging the balls inside. While her hands worked him, she stretched her jaw to try to take more of him into her mouth.

  “Damn, girl. Hold still. I’m gonna...” His voice crept up in pitch and she could feel him start to throb from her hand on his sack, through the one holding his shaft. Tongue out, she caught what he spilled onto it and swallowed with a smile.

  She gave a shriek when he bent and hefted her over his shoulder. He only carried her a step or two before dropping her on the bed. “What do you like?” he asked, hand cupping her breast. Her nipple was already pointed and his thumb circled it. “Some of this?” He bit lightly on her nipple through her shirt and bra. His teeth rolled and she thought she must have just creamed her jeans.

  “Holy fuck,” she cursed.

  “I’ll add that to the like list.” He pulled up her shirt and she shucked it off, reaching behind her for the clasp of her lacy pink bra.

  “Leave it,” he insisted, flicking his tongue out and across her nipple. “This is perfect.” He unzipped her and slid his hand into her pants. His fingers ran over her clit and curled to cup her sex completely. “You do like it.” He nuzzled her ear, his tongue pressing into her throat. Sawing his fingers in and out, he murmured. “Fuck my fingers. Come all over them.”

  She arched her back and his attention returned to her pointed peaks, biting again and making her see stars. Closing more tightly, he circled the nub in his mouth with his tongue.

  “Oh, God.” She rocked and twirled her hips, grinding into his hand. Wetness spread over her sex, coating his fingers. When she stilled, he sucked his fingers clean. “Holy shit.”

  “You kiss your momma w
ith that mouth?”

  “No,” she said with a smile, kissing him.

  “Oh, you can kiss me with that mouth anytime.”

  As easily as ever, he made her smile and laugh.

  Author’s note: Gwen’s problem will be the center of another book in this series, Out of the Ether.

  About the Author

  ANGELICA DAWSON IS the USA Today Bestselling paranormal romance author of Blue Moon House, which has been in the top ten titles at Naughty Nights Press for over six months, as well as its prequels, Blue Moon House: Kitten, Blue Moon House: Gentleman, Blue Moon House: Slave and Blue Moon House: Investor

  She has also written Not Your Bitch, Switching Up, Ethereal Protector, and numerous short stories included in anthologies and boxed sets.

  She contributes flash fiction to several blogging collectives and excerpts from work in progress can also be found on her blog: http://angelicadawson.blogspot.com/

  She has been writing for several years and having sex a lot longer than that. Angelica is a wife, mother, and environmental consultant. Her love of plants and the outdoors is not diminished by the bloodsucking hoards – mosquitoes and black flies, not vampires.

  Love Story of a Reaper

  By Elvira Bathory

  Copyright ©Elvira Bathroy May 2017

  Edited by Kristina Lichtenwald

  Cover by Erin Dameron-Hill Graphics

  Dedications

  This is dedicated to all of those out there who always ask questions; those of you who believe that you don’t belong. I’m here to tell you that you do belong, that if where you are doesn’t fit, seek where you do.

  I need to give a shout out to my amazing editor Kristina Lichtenwald who makes sure that my books are the best they can be.

  I’d also like to thank Chelsea Crumbaugh who pushes me to finish what I start when I need it (which is often lol).

  And last but certainly not least, Gina Kincade who continues to take a chance on me even when I feel that I don’t deserve it.

  Love Story of a Reaper by Elvira Bathory