ROMANCE: SHIFTER: Shifter to the Max Collection (Dragon, Bear, Wolf and Panther Shifter Romances) (Paranormal Fantasy Romance Collection)

by C. J. Ayers

  His finger moved slowly, grinding deep within and sliding back out slowly, and then he added a second finger, filling her completely. Her insides clenched snugly at his digits. She was practically purring, lost in the blinding pleasure of his touch. When his thumb brushed against her clit, her eyes widened at the shocks of pleasure that shot through her body. His thumb massaged circles around her clit as his fingers thrust into and back out of her pussy, making her toes curl from the pleasure. She could feel the warm tingle building and building, her eyes were watering from her body’s hyper- arousal. She felt light-headed from the overwhelming sensations.

  Lillian struggled to speak, and when she could get the words out, her voice was low and thick with passion. “Fuck me, Caleb.”

  In seconds, the bear shifter had his pants and shorts down and yanked hers off of her ankles. He teased her with the head of his large cock rubbing it against her folds and her sensitive nub. He had wanted this woman for so long, dreamed of this very moment, he was afraid that he might just cum as soon as his engorged cock filled her.

  “Fuck me Caleb,” she cried again and he couldn’t stop himself from plunging in her warm moist depths.

  He thrust his cock deep inside and then withdrew himself slowly before plunging back inside her pussy until his pelvis ground against hers and he gyrated his pelvis against her clit before pulling his cock slowly back out again. Lillian could feel the electric tingle start in her belly and she tried to warn him, but his mouth covered her hers. A firm bite of her lower lip made her fall apart.

  Her scream was muffled by his mouth, her body arched and her fingers dug into his back. She felt herself reflexively tremble. The searing pleasure that started in her core shot through her to every nerve ending in her body. She felt herself go momentarily deaf as though she were floating completely submerged under water. Caleb was aware of each tiny reaction. He curled his arm around her tightly, holding her securely as he continued to pump his girth into her pulsing pussy, making damn sure that she was spent.

  Seconds later, Caleb released himself in shooting spasms of ecstasy. Lillian's thrashing eventually stopped and she collapsed back against the arm that held her. Her breathing was shallow, her body still a spasmodic delight of sensations.

  Caleb reveled in the look on her face- a hint of a smile bathed in the warm afterglow of intense release. He would love nothing more than to be the man who put that look on her face every day for the rest of her life.

  An hour later, Caleb and Lillian appeared hand in hand at a party thrown in their honor by Department 99. Toasts were made in their honor, and Lillian was tossed up onto someone’s shoulder’s as the crowd cheered, “hip hip hooray!” Loud music filled the halls as agents danced and joyously ran around with drinks in hand. They had defeated Cerebus, saved Finn, and put all of the other spirits involved to rest.

  Lillian managed to catch Caleb’s glance from across the room. She was at once filled with the warm sensation of safety and of home. Perhaps they could leave all of this behind someday. Maybe they could retire to a little cabin in the woods, where she would give birth to loads of his shifter children. Maybe it was possible to be happy, after all, who knows?

  THE END

  SHADOW WALKER

  DEPARTMENT 99 BOOK 1

  Karyn and Killian’s Story

  STORY DESCRIPTION

  Karyn works as an ER nurse with no time for a personal life. Her free time is spent watching the Travel Channel and dreaming of a life she’ll never have.

  When a huge creature crashes into the hospital wreaking havoc and killing patients, two men from Department 99 show up to capture it and restore order.

  Killian is a dark-mannered agent from the local field office. He’s hard-as-nails, virtually fearless. When Killian and his partner arrive, he is stunned to see a gorgeous blonde standing face to face with a monster. Killian has never been attracted to humans, but she is unlike any woman he’s ever seen. Her bravery in the face of a horribly dangerous ordeal stirs something inside of him.

  Until tonight, Karyn was oblivious to the existence of supernatural creatures. Now, here she is in the middle of some sort of alternate reality. What’s more, she finds herself drawn to the sexy hero who took down a monster before her eyes.

  The only thing is, the sexy hero is a vampire.

  DEPARTMENT 99

  It’s difficult to get a grasp of exactly what has been happening in the world today, and there are as of yet many unknowns. Regardless, with all of the “new versions” of beings appearing, it has become increasingly important to deal with certain issues. This is where the Department comes in. Part of a covert organization existing throughout the world with branches in different countries and under different names, the Department works with its subsidiaries under the common goal of policing, monitoring, and keeping the world safe for and from the supernatural.

  In the U.S.A., the organization is labeled Department 99.

  It is relatively easy to convince just about anyone that a supernatural occurrence is something commonplace (a task of Department 99.) Most people will return to their daily lives accepting the Department’s cover story. Humans, it turns out, are very good at deceiving themselves.

  There are those, however who remain unconvinced - those who can see through the natural haze that surrounds humans when they are confronted by the supernatural. These people are referred to as Shadow Walkers.

  In such cases, it is the Department’s responsibility to have the Shadow Walker brought into the fold for mental strength testing through a process called re-alignment. It is essential to conduct such testing before revealing the world’s truth in its entirety.

  Unfortunately, realignment doesn’t often lead to a positive outcome and asylums are becoming overcrowded with those who are unable to cope with the complete truth as it is laid before them.

  part 1

  THE DEPARTMENT

  Killian sauntered through the shadows, gliding through the cool night air. His heightened senses were geared to the hunt, enabling him to hear every sound with excruciating clarity. He could hear the hum of the tiny hairs on the surrounding grasshoppers’ legs, as they bumped against each other, leaping through the tall dark grass. Several streets away, he could see the flickering of a streetlight that was on the verge of going out. The town was awash with a dull yellow light, emanating from the pale yellow moon overhead.

  Killian could hear the whistle of a train, the barking of a dog, and the wind as it whirled wordlessly through the trees. Two blocks away, he could clearly see into a diner where an old man sat sipping his black coffee, while a young waitress talked on the phone with her adolescent son across town. Yet, all of these sounds quieted as he zeroed in on his prey. Now, he focused solely on the sound of the beating heart within the young boy he was stalking. He could see his pulse radiating in perfect rhythm against the child’s silky neck. The cadence of the boy’s shoes, the staccato of the concrete, and the low whistling coming from the boy’s lips all blended. The child was completely unaware of the lethal danger closing in on him.

  The stalker could feel his body tingling with anticipation. He could smell the blood running through the young boy's body. In mere moments, his teeth would be wrapped around that perfect pulse, and that first salty, coppery taste of young blood would rush down his throat.

  He loved the hunt, the fast adrenaline rush of his heightened senses, and the knowledge that he was superior to every human he stalked. Everything in him was focused on the boy - on the kill. Then suddenly, everything was gone. All he could feel was the sensation of being pulled upwards at an incredible speed, the rushing of air. Colors exploded everywhere, and he shielded his eyes. A great sound grew nearer. It was almost like the deadly cry of a tornado, followed by an immense and overwhelming darkness. As a creature of the night, darkness was never a problem, but this was more than just darkness. This was the absence of anything ever resembling light.

  Killian Marshall awoke with a start, his dark brown hair matte
d to his head. “It was just a nightmare,” he told himself. He stood up and walked over to the small mirror trying to shake off the worrisome effects of the dream. That same dream had plagued his sleep enough times that Killian knew instinctively that it had been a glimpse of his former life.

  His life before Department 99 was just a vague memory now. He didn’t even remember his old name. Still, he couldn’t shake the feeling that he had once been unspeakably predatory, and unspeakably evil.

  Killian stared into the mirror for a few minutes, looking at the reflection of his grey eyes. They were the eyes of a killer. He opened his medicine cabinet and took out a bottle of small blue pills. He popped two of them into his mouth and swallowed.

  The pills were a mandatory condition of his stay with Department 99. Killian collected rogue shifters for the department, and in-turn they provided him with pills to keep his own dangerous impulses at bay. After all, he was a vampire. As much as Killian might wish he were different, there was nothing that could cure him of his true nature.

  As Killian gathered himself; he scanned the small steel room. The militaristic style of Department 99 was evident everywhere. Killian’s belongings included a cot with one blanket, one pillow, and a small steel toilet (which he never used). There was a tiny sink with a mirrored medicine cabinet, and small square desk. The only other object in Killian’s room was the small intercom system from which he received daily instructions. The intercom beeped. “Hey Marshall, get your ass down here. We have a rogue in sector 12.”

  Killian laughed wryly as he threw on his clothes, and headed down to base. If it could be said that he had a friend, Jack would be it. The two of them had worked side by side in the same department for three years now, and had saved each other’s lives on more than one occasion. After all, their squadron was the muscle behind shifter relations, and capturing rogue shifters was not an easy task.

  Karyn Rourke watched the monitor behind her, looking for any signs of distress. If the patient’s blood pressure or heart rate dropped, it would be her responsibility to alert the attending doctor. Karyn had worked exceptionally hard to become a surgical assistant RN, putting most of everything else in her life aside. She didn’t have any friends or hobbies, aside from late night re-runs on the Travel Channel. Last night they’d featured a special on travel to Bermuda. Karyn recalled the lush images of the sandy white beach and crystal clear water. What a beautiful place.

  Karyn had been on her own all of her life. As a toddler, she grew up in an orphanage. Then she was volleyed from foster home to foster home for a few years, before aging out of the Kansas City foster care system. In fact, the longest she had ever lived in one place was two years. That particular foster home had been wonderful, but by that time, she was well aware of how the system worked and hadn’t bothered to get her hopes up. Instead, she put all of her emotions and energy into school, and later into her work.

  Six months ago, Karyn had finally moved up to RN first assistant. She was looking forward to continuing her education in order to, hopefully, one day become a doctor. A long shot perhaps, but certainly a dream she wasn’t willing to give up on. Karyn glanced down at the woman on the table mentally trying to guess what might have caused the woman’s injuries. It seemed to Karyn that lately, too many people were being rushed into trauma surgery with no clear cause of their injuries. Gunshots were normal, knifings were normal, car crashes, fires, and abuse injuries were normal (though always unfortunate). What the hell had happened to this lady?

  Karyn had seen the effects of a few natural disasters before. She looked again at the woman on the table. Huge slashes ran from the woman’s face all the way down her body. If she didn’t know any better, she would swear they were claw marks. But of course, Karyn did know better. There was nothing in the known universe that could make claw marks that big.

  A couple of times, Karyn had dared to ask questions about what had happened to her patients. She had been told that it was none of her business. Dr. Unger could be a real prick sometimes. Karyn knew he resented her for refusing his offer for a date a couple of months ago. She didn’t want any problems at work, so she kept her questions to herself, and simply did her job.

  The monitor in front of her suddenly flat-lined, and Karyn immediately kicked into high gear. Something didn’t feel right about this. Karyn’s heart pulsed like a runaway train.

  Karyn’s heart jumped into her throat at the ominous and terrible sound of the flat-lining machine. Adrenaline pumped through her veins and her hands moved quickly toward the vial of epinephrine, even before the head surgeon had a chance to ask. Dr. Unger nodded in appreciation as he snatched the vial out of Karyn’s gloved hands and drew the liquid up into the syringe. He plunged the long needle into the woman’s heart as chaos ensued within the room. A second doctor demanded blood; the young woman had lost so much blood.

  Karyn looked down at the hospital sheet beneath the young patient. It was drenched in bright red blood. Small droplets were collecting on the white shiny tile floor near Karyn’s nursing shoe.

  “I need more blood!” The second doctor was frantic now. The other emergency personnel in the room were quickly moving about. A few surgical instruments clattered to the floor in all the excitement. There was a slight blip on the monitor. The young female patient was fighting for her life. Come on kid, you can do it. Fight. Fight for yourself.

  “Paddles,” Dr. Unger demanded, waking Karyn from a daze. “I need paddles damn-it, Karyn!” The words sliced through Karyn like an electric jolt, and suddenly she was reaching for the paddles, adjusting the voltage on the dial. “Clear!” Dr. Unger stated loudly, without emotion this time. Nothing. The heart monitor was flat again. Then slowly, another blip drifted across the screen. Oh, thank god. The heartbeat was faint, but it was there.

  Dr. Unger smiled, and his shoulders and face relaxed. Someone in the back of the room cheered.

  “Good work, Dr. Unger,” Karyn muttered feeling a tremendous weight lift from her shoulders. She had forgotten to breathe.

  “We aren’t out of the woods just yet guys,” Dr. Unger sighed. His shiny white forehead was beaded with sweat.

  Karyn looked down at what remained of the young woman’s pale face. She looked beautiful and strangely peaceful. Then, Karyn’s eyes drifted downward again to the horrible slash marks. What the hell could have done that?

  Suddenly, the young woman opened her eyes and began to make a horrible gasping sound. The patient sat up, looking much like a corpse that had just come back to life. Her arms reached out toward Karyn. “Help me!” The young patient screamed. As she spoke, blood splattered across Karyn’s face and into her eyes and mouth. Karyn winced, and instinctively used the back of her gloved hand to try to wipe the blood away. It was all over the inside of her mouth. Karyn could taste the sharp metallic flavor of the girl’s blood.

  “Sedation! We have to sedate this patient!” Dr. Unger cried out. Yet, it was too late.

  The young woman looked down, as if suddenly feeling the pain of her injuries for the first time. Her eyes rolled up in her head, and she crashed backwards onto the table with a horrible thump, somehow sending one of the IV poles to her left clattering to the floor. The machine flat-lined again. This time, the girl was dead.

  Dr. Unger tried with all of his might to revive her, but nothing worked. She was gone for good. Dr. Unger threw his surgical head covering onto the floor as he stormed out of the operating room.

  Later, Karyn sat in the nurses’ lounge trying to decompress. It was never easy to lose a patient. She knew that death was something she would have to harden herself to if she was going to be a successful doctor someday, but it still upset her every time. Maybe she could have done something better. Maybe, if she had just done a little bit more… reacted faster, fought harder… the young woman would still be alive. Why had she frozen like that? Then, Karyn’s mind drifted to the mandatory blood tests she would need to receive, after having made direct contact with the patient’s blood. She’d have to head
to the pharmacy for antiviral medication in a few minutes, as was the standard protocol. Forms would have to be signed, reports would have to be written.

  Karyn sighed and reclined on the sofa. She must have closed her eyes without noticing, because the world around her suddenly looked different, like she had stepped into a dream. Karyn stood up to look around, trying desperately to convince herself that what she was seeing was not real. It was as if everything was hazy and moving at an incredibly slow speed. She saw people running down the hall, only they seemed to be in slow motion. She could hear voices yelling, but the sound seemed to be coming from a great distance. She wanted to move in to see what was happening nearby, but her feet felt heavy, and as if they were stuck in mud. Everything felt so dense.

  In a flash, her normal vision returned. Karyn’s eyes glanced to the doorway where she thought she saw movement. There was nothing there. As she began to pull her eyes away, something once again caught her attention, and she glanced back to see what it was. She sighed with relief when a young boy peeked around the corner and then moved past the door. Karyn stepped out to follow the young child. She was about to call out to him, but something stopped her. There was something in the way the boy moved which felt wrong. He appeared to be stalking something, and every so often, he would sniff at the air like a dog. Karyn blinked her eyes again, trying to comprehend what she was seeing. Then, the boy turned toward her, bearing sharp and horrifying wolf-like teeth. He growled menacingly and darted off into the fire escape, slamming the door behind him, and setting off the alarm.