by Sophie Stern
This time...
This time, it feels like coming home.
I grind down on Harrison as he thrusts up into me, filling me even more. His cock goes deeper inside of me and I grip his shoulders, holding on as he fucks me harder, longer, faster. Soon his body tightens and tenses, and I know he’s going to come.
“Do it,” I whisper, egging him on. “Come for me, bad boy.” I bite his ear, tugging on it, and he does. He comes. He murmurs my name as his orgasm sweeps over him and it’s the hottest fucking thing I’ve ever seen. His orgasm seems to last an eternity and then he’s done, and he just looks at me.
“That was hot as fuck,” I tell him, and Harrison just laughs.
“It’s always good to make love after you save the world,” he says with a smile.
He kisses me again and again and again, and I hope that with Harrison, it never ends. I hope that this is the future I have to look forward to.
I hope the best part of the story is only just beginning.
Epilogue
Amy
Six Months Later
BEING A THIEF ISN’T the worst thing in the world.
If I hadn’t been stealing from the Mountain, I never would have met the demon who stole my heart. Harrison is nothing like I expected, but he’s everything I hoped for. How strange is it that one important job could have turned into something totally incredible?
How weird is it that stealing something managed to be the reason I found the love of my life?
If I’d known that thieving would land me the perfect guy, I would have started years ago instead of waiting so damn long.
Now, it’s been six months.
Six months since the leadership of City 3140 came crashing down.
Six months since the world was destroyed.
Six months since we started to rebuild.
Things are different now.
It’s no longer humans against monsters. Not anymore. Now it’s everyone working together. The world has changed, but it’s mostly changed for the better. We’ve all come together with the realization that if we want our city to succeed, we can’t be fighting all the fucking time, so we’ve stopped.
We’ve adapted.
We’ve become better.
I’m not about to pretend that life is idyllic in our city. It’s not. Without the infrastructure the vampires had in place, the economy has suffered. People have left to try to find other cities, other places they can call home.
The government has changed, too. Instead of one horrific ruler, the city now has leaders who make up a council that governs the city. There are fallen angels, humans, and yes, even demons on the council. There’s also a lone vampire, but he’s a bit of a new guy and nobody really likes him much. To be honest, I feel bad for the dude.
There are still a few vampires in town, but they’ve all been defanged and have promised to be good. They’ve gotten enough bad press to last a lifetime, so I’m guessing these ones are going to be careful.
Life in the city has returned to a new sort of normal. It’s still hectic. Still busy. There’s still crime, but not nearly as much as there was before, and most of it is very minor. There’s not violent crime the way there was before.
I don’t thieve anymore. Instead, I serve as an assistant to the technology director of the city, Daisy. That’s right. Daisy has a legitimate job now and she works as the person in charge of security and tech. She keeps the city safe from just about everything. She’s got the entire place remotely monitored and she keeps an eye on everything from prices to job openings to the weather to crime.
She’s insanely wonderful.
And I’m so happy that she was able to find something incredible to give her a new purpose.
Life for Daisy isn’t easy without her little girl, but each day brings her closer to healing. I don’t think the pain of losing someone ever really goes away, but Daisy has learned to channel that pain for something incredible.
And Harrison?
Harrison’s on the council.
Harrison serves the city as one of the council members who helps decide how things are going to work, what rules are going to be passed, and how they’ll be enforced. He helps people learn to communicate better within the city and does a lot to strengthen angel/demon relations, especially.
Life in our city is chaotic, but now there’s a beauty to the chaos that we never had before.
Together, Harrison, Daisy, and I were able to save the world and make it into something new, something beautiful. Each day brings a new challenge, but each day also brings new chances for growth and courage.
When I think about how far we’ve come and how much better the world is now, I wouldn’t have it any other way.
And the best part is that I get to enjoy every second with the man who gave me the strength to try.
I get to spend it with the man who believed in me.
THE END
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Author
Sophie Stern loves reading, dancing, and video games she can lose herself in. She writes contemporary, paranormal, and science fiction romance stories with sassy heroines and wonderful heroes. You can find out more when you visit her website at www.sexysophiestern.com or join her mailing list HERE.
More
Did you enjoy Don’t Date Demons? Do you want to read more stories about paranormal creatures and the humans who love them?
I have six books out that take place in Honeypot, Colorado and that feature sweet, sexy, and sassy shifters. Check out a chapter from The Bear’s Virgin Darling now. Then consider reading one of my other stories:
The Bear’s Virgin Darling
The Bear’s Virgin Mate
The Bear’s Virgin Bride
The Polar Bear’s Baby
The Tiger’s Baby
The Jaguar’s Baby
Each story is wonderfully sexy and has a guaranteed HEA.
Check out Hope and Wyatt’s story now wherever eBooks are sold or keep reading for a sneak peek of Chapter One of The Bear’s Virgin Darling.
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Chapter One
Hope
Hope.
That’s my name.
My parents struggled for years to have a baby and then finally, they had me. They named me Hope to remind themselves that things can always get better. No matter how tough life gets, there’s always a way to make things better.
Always.
It doesn’t matter if you’re old or young or skilled or uneducated. No matter what you’re going through, you can get through it.
As I grip the steering wheel of my beat-up Saturn so hard I think my hands might bleed, their words run through my mind.
“Sorry, Mama,” I whisper. “There’s no hope this time.”
The highway is empty and I’ve been driving for hours. I still have at least two to go until I reach beautiful, isolated, far-from-home Honeypot, Colorado.
I don’t know a damn thing about the town except that it’s a 12-hour drive from my rink-a-dink hometown in Missouri and that I have a job interview with some ranch.
Like I know anything about ranching.
That doesn’t matter though. I learned this great skill in drama class called “fake it ‘til you make it,” and that’s exactly what I plan to do.
Holbrook can kiss my ass and so can Jacob Clint. Did he really think I wouldn’t find out he was fucking my best friend?
Did she?
It’s been a month since I caught them fooling around, but the pain hasn’t dimmed. It took me a whole month to sell my stuff, give my landlord ample notice I was leaving, and set up this damn job interview.
I applied for a few gigs closer to home, but when I saw the posting for a ranch hand in Colorado, I couldn’t resist applying. I’m still shocked they liked my application. I’m still shocked they called me.
Granted, I could show up tomorrow and they might tell m
e to get lost, but it’s something new, something different, something brave.
It’s something to keep my mind off how badly my heart hurts.
I hope Jacob and Margaret are very happy together in hell.
I press the gas pedal a little bit harder.
I can’t wait to get to Nowhere, Colorado. Not too much further now. I blast my music and stare out the window, driving with one hand down the highway. My car is loaded with my life’s belongings. I sure as hell hope I get the job because if I don’t, I’m going to be stuck in Colorado with no house, no job, and no boyfriend.
Soon my stomach growls and I decide to stop for a quick burger. The only two things at the next exit are a gas station and a fast food chain, so I eat my run-of-the-mill burger in silence, stretch my legs, and fill up the tank. My thoughts alternate between being horrified Jacob was the best I could do and being horrified that I won’t get the job.
I need the job.
I get back on the road and start driving once more. I need to stop feeling sorry for myself and start getting myself pumped up about the interview, but I just can’t. I’m still too hurt. The pain is still too fresh.
Unfortunately, my thoughts are so focused that I don’t realize when the speed limit drops from 75 to 55 just outside of Honeypot. The sirens in the rearview mirror catch my attention and I growl in frustration as I pull over.
Dammit.
A ticket is not what I need right now. I barely have enough money saved for a hotel room while I’m in Honeypot. If I don’t get the job, or if I have a bunch of unexpected expenses, I will definitely be living out of my car.
This is a problem because my car is full of clothes, books, and trinkets I couldn’t leave behind.
Taking a deep breath, I place my hands on the steering wheel and wait for the officer to run my plates. I’ve never had a ticket before, but I’ve been pulled over, and I remember the cop explaining that he had to call in the license plate before he even came to speak with me.
After a few minutes, my heart finally begins to slow, and I realize that this was just an honest mistake. Besides, getting a ticket isn’t the worst thing that could happen to a girl like me. By the time the officer gets out of his car and walks toward mine, I’ve convinced myself that I’ll handle this like an adult.
I definitely will not cry in front of this stranger. Maybe I’ve been through a lot, but crying in front of strangers is definitely a hard limit for me. Unfortunately, as I begin to roll my window down – yes, my car is so old that I have toroll the window down – I catch a glimpse of the cop and he’s no tubby police officer.
No, this guy is tall, cut, and fit to be tied.
Dammit.
My mouth goes dry when he approaches and I’m very aware of the fact that I’ve been in a car all day and probably smell like stale French fries.
“Hello, ma’am,” the officer greets me, standing outside my window. He places one hand on top of my car and peers in the window at me. I swallow loudly as I stare at his aviators.
He’s so tall he almost has to bend in half to peek into my car. Suddenly, I wish I was wearing a low-cut shirt to give him a show. He smiles brightly, his perfectly white teeth shining in the evening sunset. And oh, is he filling out that uniform in all the right places.
“Fuck me,” I say out loud, and I immediately cover my mouth with my hand and start shaking my head. Shit! Shit. Shit. Shit. I did not mean to say that out loud. “I’m sorry,” I mumble, and look away, completely embarrassed. I can’t believe I just said that to a stranger.
To my surprise, the police officer doesn’t get upset, though. He just chuckles.
“New to the area?” He says, and I nod, but don’t say anything. “Well, do you know why I pulled you over?”
This is the part where I feign innocence. This is the part where I cry damsel, where I say that I just got out of a bad relationship and I’m trying to get a fresh start. This is the part where I say I didn’t know any better, where I simply say that I missed the sign.
Only when he lowers his glasses and I see his deep brown eyes, I know I can’t lie to this cop.
Something tells me he’ll know whether I’m telling the truth or not.
Something tells me he doesn’t do lies.
“I was speeding,” I blurt out, and again, cover my mouth. What is with my bluntness around this guy?
He nods, and asks for my registration and driver’s license. I hand both over to him, cringing the entire time. He flips over my license and eyes my registration, then he asks me the question I’ve been dreading.
“And where are you headed, ma’am?”
I point to the exit that’s just up ahead, number 234.
“Honeypot,” I say. “I have a job interview tomorrow.”
“Is that so, miss?” He looks surprised, and I wonder why. I’m guessing not too many new people come to Honeypot. It’s basically in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by dense forests. The last exit was about ten miles back, so I’d say it’s pretty isolated.
“It’s not full of murderers, is it?” I ask him on a whim, wondering what secrets I’ll discover in the tiny town. “Because if you say it is, I’ll turn right on back around.”
He chuckles and shakes his head. “No murderers. No need to worry about that. Now, you just hold tight.” He heads back to his car to check something. I don’t know what. Maybe he’s checking to make sure there aren’t any warrants out for my arrest.
I sit still, not bothering to play with my phone or pretend to listen to music. I don’t have anyone to text and I doubt I get cell service out here, anyway.
Lucky for me, dating Jacob really ruined my friendships, so I don’t have anyone to care that I’m gone. There’s no one to miss me, no one to call. Everyone hated him and when I was with him, I became this unrecognizable bitch. It was my own fault, but the truth still hurts.
Finally, the officer returns and gives me a ticket. He looks at me, all business, and tells me to slow down.
“Yeah,” I say, taking it glumly. I shove it in my glove compartment, along with my registration. My license goes back in my wallet. “I’ll do that.”
“Best of luck in Honeypot,” he says, trying to be friendly. I can tell he’s the kind of cop who takes pride in his work, who doesn’t give out tickets just to be mean. Still, it’s annoying he chose me to target for his ticket-writing today.
“Yeah. Thanks. I hear the Blair Ranch is beautiful,” I say, trying my best to stay calm. Don’t cry, Hope. Don’t think about how much this ticket is going to cost you, Hope. “Hopefully it’ll be everything it’s rumored to be.”
“The Blair Ranch?” He cocks his head, suddenly interested. His body is turned, like he’s going to walk back to his car, but he pauses, waiting to hear more.
“Yeah, I have an interview there tomorrow,” I say. I try not to meet his eyes. Those dark brown, beautiful, gorgeous, could-get-lost-in-them eyes are just too much. This guy must be drowning in pussy because he’s seriously hot. “I’m hoping I’ll get it,” I add, motioning toward the back of my car. “Obviously.”
He looks in the backseat, seemingly noticing the boxes for the first time.
“Is that so?” He says. I can’t tell if he’s curious, amused, or annoyed. This guy is completely unreadable to me, which is fine. I’m not looking for a relationship. I’m only looking for a job and possibly a new vibrator if this town has a sex store, which I’m guessing it doesn’t, based on its current population size.
“Yeah, well, who knows how many people they interviewed?” I shrug. I really shouldn’t get my hopes up. “But the guy wanted to see me in person, so I guess that’s good, right?”
Why the hell am I talking so much? This poor cop doesn’t need to hear my life story or how nervous I am about the interview.
“Do you know Mr. Blair?” I ask. I’ve only ever talked with the guy through email. He could be a cranky old codger for all I know.
The cop nods. “I know him,” he says. “Wyatt is a good
man.”
“No, my interview isn’t with Wyatt. It’s with Carter,” I say, remembering the unique name. Carter Blair. I wonder what Carter is like. Maybe he’ll be one of those friendly old guys who wants to tell me stories about the war or who just wants someone to read him the newspaper at breakfast. There’s always the chance he’ll be an asshole, old and crabby, but I’m trying to keep my hopes up as much as possible.
The cop laughs, and I look back up, meeting his eyes that time.
“Trust me,” he says. “You might be meeting with Carter, but Wyatt is the one you need to impress.”
“Any tips?” I ask him hopefully. Suddenly, getting a ticket doesn’t seem like the worst possible thing to happen to me today. Maybe the cop has some great insight I can use to ace my interview.
“Don’t put up with his crap,” the officer says. He doesn’t even have to think about it. “Stand your ground with him no matter what he says.”
“I thought I was supposed to kiss my new boss’ ass,” I tell him. “Isn’t that the secret to getting hired?”
“Not with the Blair brothers,” he tells me. “With them, you need to be firm. Show them they can’t boss you around. And a low-cut shirt won’t hurt. Have a good day, miss.” He tips his hat and leaves.
My jaw is on the floor, but for the first time this entire trip, I can see myself actually landing this job.
Be firm?
I can do that.
Don’t let them boss me around?
I can do that.
Wear a low-cut shirt?
I can definitely do that.
Honeypot, here I come.
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