Paranormal After Dark
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PARANORMAL AFTER DARK
Twenty Paranormal Tales of Demons, Shifters, Werewolves, Vampires, Fae, Witches, Magics, Ghosts and More
Including works by ~
NOREE COSPER
KIM FAULKS
HEATHER HAMBEL CURLEY
ANN SIMKO
CALINDA B
SUSAN STEC
RACHEL MCCLELLAN
STACY CLAFLIN
AIMEE EASTERLING
KYOKO M
SARAH M. CRADIT
MADISON SEVIER
MARISSA FARRAR
EDEN ASHE
GRAE LILY
CONNOR KRESSLEY
HEATHER MARIE ADKINS
KATIE SALIDAS
NICOLE ZOLTAK
PARANORMAL AFTER DARK is a Multi-Author Bundle, copyright 2016 by Bestselling Boxed Sets. All individual titles copyrighted by the individual authors. Published February 14, 2016 by Bestselling Boxed Books.
Cover Art Design 2016 by Jennifer Munswami at JM Rising Horse Creations
All rights reserved.
Ebook Edition
PARANORMAL AFTER DARK
20 Paranormal Tales of Demons, Shifters, Werewolves, Vampires, Fae, Witches, Magics, Ghosts and More
Limited Edition Boxed Set!
This massive collection of full-length paranormal stories from today's USA Today and Amazon Bestselling Authors will keep you up all night reading!
From USA TODAY Bestselling Author, NOREE COSPER, A DOSE OF BRIMSTONE –– Gabby and the Van Helsing family must stop a drug that enables demons to possess humans from spreading across New York. or it will be Hell on Earth.
From Bestselling Author, KIM FAULKS, END OF DREAMS –– A young woman and a hard-bitten detective are trapped in the middle of a paranormal war they never knew existed.
From author, HEATHER HAMBEL CURLEY, HAUNT –– Death is not the end. Adelaide is used to battling souls, but when the Civil War begins, something evil wakes up. And this time, It wants her.
From Bestselling Author, ANN SIMKO, DARK CROSSINGS –– Cross and Kale Delancey were born for one purpose; to be studied for their paranormal abilities.
From Bestselling Author, CALINDA B, HEADSPACE –– Can a virtual mistress, helping people’s every fantasy come true, attain her own satisfaction – or will the elusive O only be a dream?
From USA TODAY Bestselling Author, SUSAN STEC, THE OTHER F WORD –– Wandermere is anything but your typical fairy forest kingdom, with mouthy teen fairies in designer knockoffs and texting on their smart phones.
From Bestselling Author, RACHEL MCCLELLAN, UNLEASHED –– A teenage girl discovers a boy close to her has ingested a stolen drug from a nearby medical research facility, unleashing his dark and evil alter-ego.
From Bestselling Author, STACY CLAFLIN, HIDDEN INTENTIONS –– Clara's spent countless hours with William, the love of her life, without him finding out her dark and deadly secret. Will her supernatural secret doom their love?
From Bestselling Author, AIMEE EASTERLING, THE COMPLETE BLOODLING SERIAL –– A bloodling shifter born in wolf rather than human form must reclaim his humanity and save his pack.
From Bestselling Author, KYOKO M, SHE WHO FIGHTS MONSTERS –– The dynamic supernatural duo of Seer Jordan Amador and her husband the archangel Michael is back, trying to solve a deadly case.
From USA TODAY Bestselling Author, SARAH M. CRADIT, ST. CHARLES AT DUSK –– Set amidst the lush and vibrant backdrop of New Orleans, the story of Oz and Adrienne; of forbidden love, and startling heartbreak.
From Bestselling Author, MADISON SEVIER, WICKED BY NATURE –– No one wants half-witch, half-demon Selena Barnes to marry a mortal, but as secret after secret gets unearthed, she learns that’s the least of her problems.
From Bestselling Author, MARISSA FARRAR, UNDERLIFE –– In a desperate bid to save his son's life, Tom heads into abandoned areas of the London Underground, where something sinister awaits, something dark and shadowy that wants out.
From author, EDEN ASHE, DRAGON’S REDEMPTION –– Born a Hunter female, the last thing Lily Cage needs is an attraction to Dallas The Destroyer, the scariest dragon in existence.
From author, GRAE LILY, MILAN’S RETURN –– Can two lost souls, desperate for a fresh start, navigate a treacherous journey and a mystery that surrounds Milan's past to finally have something to live for?
From USA TODAY Bestselling Author, CONNER KRESSLEY, THE BREAKERS CODE –– If Cresta and Owen can't stop a prophecy before the sun comes up on her seventeenth birthday, Cresta is destined to end the world.
From author MR GRAHAM, THE MEDIUM –– A kind-hearted vampire, unable to kill, is trapped between his peaceful nature and the will of a sadistic master of mind-control.
From Bestselling Author, HEATHER MARIE ADKINS, WICCAN WARS –– Cade and Ever come from two worlds with very different ideas regarding magick, but a common enemy forces their opposing covens to unite - and their love to ignite.
From Bestselling Author, KATIE SALIDAS, CARPE NOCTEM –– Becoming a vampire is easy. Living with the condition, that is the hard part.
From Bestselling Author, NICOLE ZOLTACK, A QUESTION OF FAITH –– If Crystal can’t figure out what her magic is capable of, she won’t just fail to protect those she loves and end the war—she might start the apocalypse.
A DOSE OF BRIMSTONE
(Van Helsing Organization Book #2)
BY NOREE COSPER
Copyright © 2015 by Noree Cosper
Try a little Brimstone to bring out the demon in you.
Gabby thought the brimstone drug was destroyed. However, now a multitude of demons plague New York, and from the look of their scaly skin, the drug has taken hold of the Big Apple. When Gabby finally uncovers the mastermind behind it all, she realizes this battle won't be easily won. Faust is unlike any demon Gabby has seen before, capable of possessing multiple entities at once; he’s even manipulated a corporation of vampires into spreading their own version of brimstone. If Gabby and the Van Helsing Organization don't put an end to Faust's plan, it'll soon be Hell on Earth.
Copyright © 2012 Noree Cosper
Editing by Rebecca Hamilton and Samantha Le Fantasie
Cover Art by Alexandria Thompson
The book may not be reproduced in whole or part, by mimeograph or any other means, without the permission of the author. Making or distributing electronic copies of this book constitutes copyright infringement and could subject the infringer to criminal and civil liability. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Prologue
AS OULIXES SAT sat on the bench, he crossed the ankles of the man he possessed and leaned against the wall. Bits of the crumbling brick grinded away into his hair. The humans had abandoned this part of the Subway tunnels decades ago, but that didn’t mean the place was empty.
An immaterial woman in a long coat passed by him and stopped on the edge of the platform. One foot dangled over the edge before she completely disappeared. In a few moments, she would be back to repeat the process al
l over again. The woman, like the other apparitions on this platform, were just imprints, mere memories of what had tainted this railway station. Mostly harmless, and useless, unlike a real soul.
He raised a hand. His true hand, dark blue and clawed, was semi-imposed over the mortal flesh. It held a spiked chrome chain that extended through the wall and beyond his sight. The chain, like his true form, existed beyond the material world, and it connected to a human soul; one that he had a claim on. He smiled, relishing the memory of how he had gained this particular contract. It hadn’t been easy, or legal, but Oulixes didn’t have to deal in legal. The mother had been desperate to stop her daughter’s abuse at the hands of her husband. She never even thought about the deal she made. A drunken woman was all but useless to him. The daughter, however, a soul of innocence, that was a prize that many demons dreamed of obtaining. Only he could. Well, he and his other selves.
Light filled the arched tunnels, causing Oulixes to blink. Booted feet clacked on the steps to his right. He straightened and watched the man descend. Highlights reflected in his white-blond hair from the lamps in the ceiling. He looked a little thin in the black long coat he wore. His red lips twitched to one side in a smirk as he crossed his arms and looked Oulixes up and down.
“Are you the broody one of us?” The man’s smooth voice echoed through the forsaken halls. “Sitting here in the dark?”
Oulixes stood so that he towered over the thin man. “I’m the one who will strip the flesh from the bones of that body you ride.”
The incubus smirked. “I doubt Faust would allow that. Not when you have a package to deliver to me.”
Oulixes gritted his teeth. The seed at the core of his essence kept him from ripping that arrogant face apart. He had a mission. “Let’s get this over with.”
The incubus held out his hand, and Oulixes slid the chain into it. The chrome color shimmered and lightened, taking on a purple tint. The incubus ran a tongue over the chain and sucked in the breath.
“Succulent,” he said. “Such anger. I bet she’s wild in bed.”
“All yours to test out now,” Oulixes muttered.
He narrowed his eyes. Now that the exchange was over, he could rip into this little weasel and claim the power for his own. The pressure within him thrummed, sending jolts through his essence like the lash of a whip. No. That wasn’t part of the plan. He gritting his teeth, pushed past the incubus, and headed up the stairs. In just a few feet, he would be above ground and on his way to claim other souls. He didn’t need the jaded, angry girl’s contract. Her soul had become bitter with the realization of her fate. The Cambione was welcome to her for whatever plans Faust had. He could find someone else pure and spend his time breaking them..
At the top of the stairs, instead of an exit, a decaying brick tunnel stretched out before him. He stopped and blinked. What in the Seven Thrones? He spun around and let out a guttural curse. The stairs had been replaced with the tunnel as well. His steps echoed off the stone surrounding him as he quickened his pace. He must have gotten confused. Human architecture was mind boggling to him with its materialistic laws and strange angles, but there had to be another turn or a door somewhere. If not, he could always abandon this body and find another not trapped in this underground pit. He sighed loudly, relieved to see another turn ahead. But as he rounded the corner, he realized this new tunnel stretched out beyond both the range of the body’s eyes and his own perception.
Oulixes growled and slammed his fist into the bricks. The walls shook with the force of his blow and the stone beneath his fist crumbled into bits of rubble as dust sprayed into the air. Once the air cleared of the particles, a hole the size of his head revealed a passageway identical to the one he was currently in, including a hole on the opposite wall. He took a step back as his mouth went dry, and he scanned the tunnel. Someone played games with him. He felt their eyes on him, and he shuddered. He’d been in this body for too long.
A sharp pain burst in his abdomen, spreading past the physicality of his body to his own essence, and his hold on the human he rode slipped.
Iron.
The tunnel broke away into little bits of dust and darkness before it dissolved. Oulixes stood in the subway station with it vaulted ceilings and ghosts. In front of him stood the incubus with his hand on the iron dagger buried deep in Oulixes.
“I think any value you had is gone,” the incubus said. “I can find a better use for that piece of Faust you carry.”
Oulixes dropped his control on the body and let his essence pour out of it in a dark red light. The incubus flashed in a pale purple light and caught Oulixes. He inhaled, and Oulixes felt himself being drawn in. He tried to fight, but the iron had already weakened him. He couldn’t escape. Soon, he knew nothing.
Chapter 1
ON A NORMAL night I would have been chasing a demon down with my sword in hand, not standing in line outside of a club with the base of the music pounding into the bricks against my back. My definition of normal was skewed from most people.
I shivered and hugged my arms to my body as a gust of wind pummeled me, forcing me to spread my legs to keep balance. I’d bought them on a whim weeks ago, even though I would have very few occasions to wear them. Tonight was such a night. I was here to do a little business and have a lot of enjoyment. Besides, they went well with the white, V-neck mini dress that accented my black hair.
Esais stepped in front of me, and I breathed a sigh of relief as the blustery assault abated by the wall that was his tall, broad-shouldered frame. He grinned at me with a boyish smile and brushed a lock of his cinnamon hair out of his face. Tres winked at the three girls standing in front of us. They burst into giggles and whispered amongst themselves as their gazes drank him in. It was no surprise. Michelangelo himself could have sculpted the boy’s face with those high cheekbones and smooth skin. Many girls had found his full lips kissable in the last three months. Adrian stood in the rear of our group with his back to us, his ponytail, the same color as his brothers’, brushed against the back of his black long coat as he scanned the line behind us. Marge stood beside me, tapping her foot out of time with the beat that pounded through the door of the club. She shoved her hands in the pockets of her maroon leather jacket and the tips of her blonde hair blew into her face as she turned to glare at me.
“Why here?” Marge’s voice cracked the cold night air like a whip.
“Lucy’s idea.” I wrapped my arms around myself. “She wanted to celebrate her reunion with the boys.”
Esais adjusted his square glasses. “We’re not boys, Gabby.”
“Lucy still thinks so,” I said.
“Who gives a damn about them,” Marge said. “Why am I here?”
“Well, do you have any new leads about your contract?”
She snorted. “Not since I found out that Oulixes died.”
“Lucy can find the new demon that has your contract.”
Marge let out a low growl and stared ahead. I didn’t blame her. She only had a few more years until a demon claimed her body and soul for a contract she didn’t make. Such a thing shouldn’t have happened since the person who owned the soul was the only one who could sell it, but here we were. Marge’s mother had tried to protect her in some misguided way, but it had just made Marge’s predicament worse.
“Just have some fun, Marge,” Tres said. “Even Adrian came.”
Adrian glanced at his brother with his good eye. What was left of his other eye was covered by a black leather patch. He stood six feet tall—shorter than his brothers but still enough to tower over me—and a reddish beard ran along his jawline and connected with a thin moustache.
“If I didn’t, Lucy would pout,” he said.
Tres pulled down the sleeves of his grey suit jacket and smirked. “She probably just wants to have a few drinks, and then the night is ours.”
The bouncer’s muscles bulged underneath his black t-shirt as he waved us forward. I swaggered in. The blue and purple search lights flashed throughou
t the club. A glass dance floor hovered over a pool of water, lit so it gave a wave effect off the walls. Fast music pounded as a sea of bodies gyrated. One long bar lined the walls around the dance floor. Metal stairs led to the second floor.
Marge scowled and rubbed her ear. “How long do we have to be here?” she yelled.
I scanned the crowd. Dancing on top of one of the raised platforms in the middle of the dance floor was a girl with black pigtails. She wore a white shirt cut to her midriff that closed by only one button. The purple bra was visible through the shirt even in this light. She wore a short, black skirt with ripped purple tights underneath. Knee-high black combat boots completed her ensemble. Her arms were raised above her head as she bounced up and down to the music. I pointed her out to Marge.
“Her,” I said.
Mage did a double take. “You’ve got to be shitting me.”
“She’s not,” Tres said. “Lucy’s always been a party girl. I bet she’s wild under the covers.”
I shuddered. “That’s disturbing on many levels.”
“What?” Tres asked. “I can’t enjoy the beauty of a woman?”