Wicked After Dark: 20 Steamy Paranormal Tales of Dragons, Vampires, Werewolves, Shifters, Witches, Angels, Demons, Fey, and More

by Mina Carter

  “How far away is the restaurant?” Kade asked, wrapping his arm back around Sam.

  “Not far. Fifteen minutes maybe,” Sam said. “It’s just outside of town.”

  Pepper widened her eyes hopefully. “Are we going to Big Daddy’s?”

  “Yep.” Sam grinned. “Kade wants to try authentic barbeque. I figured his is the best in the area.”

  “It’s certainly authentic.”

  “Shall we go?” Dalton asked. “Pepper, do you want to go with me or Sam?”

  “Why don’t you go with your sister, Dalton,” Connall suggested. “No point in taking another car. Pepper can ride with me… if that’s all right with you, of course,” he added, and smiled at her.

  Pepper looked at him somewhat confused, so he focused back on Dalton, hoping he wouldn’t argue. He didn’t want to have to kill his mate’s friend, at least not on the first night of meeting him.

  Dalton studied them, but in the end, didn’t challenge Connall. Although, he did turn to Pepper. “Are you okay with that?”

  Connall had his hand flat against Pepper’s back and the contact calmed them both, but he still held his breath, unsure how he’d feel if she said she wanted to go with her friends.

  “Um,” she said, and then nodded. “Sure, that’s fine.”

  Before Pepper could change her mind, Connall ushered her from the hotel and out to the awaiting cars.

  * * *

  Connall led Pepper to a black Mercedes parked on the street and held the door open for her. She slid inside and waited while he climbed in beside her, trying not to react to the gorgeous giant of a man sitting next to her. Despite feeling safe with him, she would not be taken in. Someone this good looking could only be up to no good. She’d need to keep her guard up.

  “Are you buckled, lass?” Connall asked.

  She nodded and forced a smile.

  Must stay guarded, must stay guarded. I will not fall for the accent… I will not fall for the accent.

  “I have the information in the GPS, but if you think I’m making a wrong turn, let me know, okay?”

  My word, he’s magnificent. Dang it. I’m pretty sure he’s too pretty to have any kind of personality.

  “Pepper?”

  “Hmm?” She forced a smile. “Oh, yeah. Sure.”

  Connall grinned and guided the car behind Kade’s. Pepper turned to the window and tried to calm her heart. She hated being a burden to anyone and didn’t like that someone might have to give up their room in order to accommodate her for the night. She also wasn’t too sure about the fact that she was hearing voices. Wasn’t that the first sign of insanity? Or was it if the voices answered back? Either way, she was definitely screwed.

  Then there were the accommodations going forward. After tonight where would she go? She couldn’t stay with Sam’s parents. She didn’t want to draw her stalker to her surrogate family. She couldn’t stay with Dalton, ’cause that would just be weird, so she’d more than likely just have to go back to her mom’s house.

  “Pepper?”

  “Hmm?” she glanced at the Scottish, Roman, Greek god.

  No that’s not right. Sam mentioned they were originally from Iceland. Yep, he’s an Icelandic god… no, Norse. Norse god. Talk about having no gods before Me. She gazed at the roof. Sorry, Lord, but you made him.

  “Are you concerned about where you’re going to sleep?” he asked, a goofy grin on his face.

  How did he know?

  “I hadn’t really thought about it,” she lied. “But yes, you bring up an interesting point. I thought the hotel was full.”

  “Oh, it is. But we’ve adjusted.”

  “How?”

  “Max is bunking with Brodie and you’ll take his room.”

  “Who’s Max?”

  “Close friend.” He checked his side mirror. “You’ll meet him at the wedding.”

  “Oh,” she said, realizing she’d let out a deep breath.

  He glanced back at her. “You sound disappointed.”

  “I do?”

  “Aye.” He cocked his head. “You didn’t think we’d share a room, did you?”

  “What?” Pepper gasped and squirmed in her seat. “Of course not!”

  “Well, that’s a relief.” He gave her a mischievous grin. “Because we just don’t know each other well enough.” He shifted into top gear and then added, “Yet.”

  When he chuckled, Pepper stopped her squeak, sort of, and stared out the window again, willing her cheeks to cool.

  Well that’s just great. He has a sense of humor. Now what the hell am I going to do?

  Big Daddy’s neon sign came into view and Connall pulled the car into the parking lot. When she reached for the door handle, he laid a hand on her arm. “No, lass. Let me.”

  He slid from the car and made his way to her door, opening it and holding his hand out to her. When they touched, Pepper felt the overwhelming desire to give him every part of her. The connection was undeniable. Not like Dalton. Her attraction to Dalton seemed like puppy love compared to her pull towards Connall Gunnach.

  She glanced up at him. He was looking at her with a strange expression. “What’s wrong?” she asked.

  “Nothing. I was just thinking how lucky I am to drive such a beautiful lass to dinner.” She felt the heat creep up her neck and then Connall smiled. “Will you spend some time with me later? To get to know one another?”

  She bit her lip. “Let’s get through dinner first, hmm?”

  He grinned. “Fair enough.”

  CHAPTER FOUR

  DINNER WRAPPED UP and Pepper felt a little off-kilter by the attention Connall was paying her. He was perfect. Too perfect. She never did trust perfection, which in turn, meant she couldn’t trust him, and she had every intention of sticking to her guns on that one. That is, until he touched her. A gentle hand on her arm, his knee tapping hers under the table, no matter how insignificant, his contact calmed her. With her aversion to touch, she felt like she should want to put distance between them, but with Connall, she wanted the opposite.

  Samantha drew her attention when she laid her napkin on the table. “I desperately need to wash my hands. Pepper, will you join me?”

  Pepper didn’t hesitate. She rose to her feet, a little surprised when the men stood as well… all but Dalton, but he recovered quickly.

  Sam looped her hand through Pepper’s arm and pulled her toward the restrooms. “You look like you need to talk.”

  “You know me so well.”

  They closed the bathroom door and Pepper sagged against the wall. She opened her purse and pulled out the foil packet with her miracle migraine cure, slipping the pill under her tongue.

  Sam caught her eye in the bathroom mirror. “Migraine?”

  Pepper nodded. “Third one this week.”

  Sam frowned. “That’s not good.”

  “Par for the course at the moment.”

  “I have something for you,” Sam said.

  “You do?”

  Sam smiled and dried her hands before reaching into her purse and pulling out a long, navy velvet box.

  “What did you do?” Pepper asked in suspicion.

  “It’s part birthday, part maid of honor gift. I’d like you to wear it with your bridesmaid dress.”

  Pepper grinned and opened the box, unable to stop a hum of admiration. A stunning necklace lay nestled in a bed of white satin. A large red crystal surrounded by pomegranates and the pomegranate flower, all interwoven with Celtic knots in silver hung from a silver chain. Tears filled her eyes as she gently pulled the necklace out and secured it around her neck. “Wow.”

  “You like?” Sam asked.

  “It’s amazing!” Pepper wrapped her arms around her friend. “Thank you so much.”

  Sam giggled. “Ooh, you must like it. I’m getting an unsolicited hug from you!”

  “It’ll go great with my other silver.” Pepper leaned forward to study it in the mirror. “The stone is incredible! It’s so red. What kind of crystal
is it?”

  Sam mumbled something intelligible.

  “What?” Pepper turned to face her again. Sam was staring at her shoes. “It’s not a crystal, is it?”

  Sam shook her head, but still didn’t look at her.

  “Samantha Christene, what did you do?”

  Sam waved her hands in the air. “Don’t freak out.”

  “No promises. Spill. What is it?”

  “It’s a ruby.”

  “Sam! No.” Pepper reached to undo the clasp.

  “It’s a really low-priced, low-quality ruby,” Sam rushed on.

  “Right. ’Cause that’s totally your style.” Pepper snorted. “So am I to assume it’s not silver?”

  “It’s gold, but again, a really low-priced, low-quality gold… the cheapest you can buy.”

  “You are a ridiculous person!” Pepper retorted. “You’re going to take this back.”

  “I am not.”

  Pepper let out a frustrated groan when she couldn’t undo the clasp. “Help me get this off.”

  “Please, Pep,” Sam begged. “Just keep it on.”

  “I can’t take this, Sam. It’s too much.”

  “You have to,” Sam insisted. “I can’t return it. I’d have to put it in a drawer somewhere and it would be wasted.”

  “Then you shouldn’t have bought it.”

  “Technically, I didn’t. At least, not yet, anyway.” Sam tried to stop a smile. “Con picked it up for me before he and Brodie left Scotland. I haven’t paid him back.”

  Pepper tried to think of a legitimate reason why she should give it back, but the pull of the beautiful jewelry and the earnestness with which her friend was staring at her, made her fold. “You really can’t take it back?”

  Sam raised her palm. “Swear to Buddha.”

  Pepper narrowed her eyes, but when Sam didn’t flinch, she knew she’d lost the argument.

  Again.

  “You are too much, sissy,” Pepper complained.

  Sam clapped her hands. “I so thought that was going to be harder.”

  “Chalk it up to the headache.” Pepper faced the mirror again. “It’s stunning, Sam. Seriously.”

  “I’m really glad you like it.”

  Pepper turned and shrugged. “I guess if I run out of money, I can always pawn it.”

  Sam laughed. “There’s the spirit.”

  “Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome.” Sam pulled out her lip gloss and switched places with Pepper at the sink. “So… Connall.”

  “Who is this guy? I can’t think or… I don’t know… function around him,” Pepper bemoaned.

  Sam smiled. “Oh, honey, I know. Same thing happened with Kade. It’s like the Gunnachs crawl inside your heart and mind and you realize you never had a chance.”

  “Connall’s too perfect, Sam. Besides that irritating fact, this is just the worst timing. I’m so busy with packing and then MGA and… um… everything else coming up.”

  “Right. Everything else. Want to elaborate on that?”

  Pepper opened her purse in an attempt to look like she was doing something instead of avoiding the question. “I don’t know what you mean.”

  Sam turned and crossed her arms. “Let’s just drop the pretense, hmm? I know about your stalker.”

  Pepper groaned. “Dalton told you?”

  “Sort of. Let’s just say, he was persuaded.” Sam frowned. “I can’t believe you told him you were in trouble but left me out of the loop!”

  “I didn’t technically tell him, but regardless, you should have left it alone.”

  “Listen here, missy,” Sam snapped. “I will ignore the fact that you told my brother and not me, I will also ignore the fact that you sold Jonesy, even though I would have thought finding someone to take Rover would have been easier.”

  Pepper burst into tears. “I’m sorry.”

  “What?” Sam asked.

  “He killed him.”

  “What? Who?” Sam turned away from the mirror.

  “The stalker.”

  “The stalker killed Jonesy?”

  “No,” Pepper sobbed. “He killed Rover. That’s why I had to sell Jonesy. He said that if I didn’t, he’d kill him too.”

  “Oh, honey! Why didn’t you tell me?”

  “Because he threatened to hurt you too.”

  “All the way in Scotland?”

  “Stop being logical!” Pepper snapped.

  “Everything okay in there?” Connall called through the door. His voice was muffled, but Pepper still heard the concern.

  “Fine, Con,” Sam called back. “We’ll be right out.”

  Pepper jabbed her hand toward the door. “What is he doing?”

  She almost told Sam that she could hear him speak to her, but with the news she’d just delivered, she thought it best to keep her insanity to herself.

  Sam bit her lip. “It’s really complicated, and I think he should explain it to you.”

  “Explain what?

  “The reason why you feel safe and calm when he’s close to you, and how he knows when you’re upset. In addition to the irritating fact you seem to like his touch,” Sam said. “That.”

  Pepper took a paper towel and blotted her tears away, trying her best not to smudge her mascara. “I can’t deal with this right now.”

  “Well, you don’t have much of a choice.”

  “You have to help me get rid of him.”

  Sam rolled her eyes. “Right.”

  “Seriously, Sam. You have to.”

  “Ain’t gonna happen, sunshine,” Sam retorted. “He’s the only one who can truly keep you safe, and since you don’t seem inclined to fill me in on what’s been going on, I’m not going to help you put distance between you and the only person who will protect you.”

  “Dalton’s working on it,” Pepper whispered.

  Sam snorted. “That man out there has resources Dalton can’t even begin to imagine.”

  “Fine.” Pepper sighed. “I’ll talk to Connall, but I’m not promising anything.”

  “You don’t need to,” Sam said evasively. “I trust Connall to take care of you.”

  Pepper grasped her arm. “Go easy on Dalton, okay?”

  Sam didn’t respond as she pulled open the door.

  Connall stood on the other side, looking worried. “Everything okay?” he asked.

  Sam nodded. “It will be.”

  Connall smiled. “Kade’s looking for you.”

  “I know he is,” Sam said, and tapped her temple.

  He nodded.

  Sam started toward the dining room but turned and said, “Oh, by the way, the bastard killed her dog and made her sell her horse. Deal with that for me, okay?”

  “Samantha!” Pepper admonished.

  Sam smirked and headed back to Kade. Pepper stood momentarily stunned. Samantha never repeated anything Pepper told her. She glanced up at Connall, whose expression was unreadable.

  He reached out and wiped a tear gently from her cheek. “Are you okay?”

  Pepper squeezed her eyes shut and nodded. Her initial reaction was to recoil, but when he wrapped his arms around her, she realized she was right where she was supposed to be. She would later reflect how strange and right it was all at the same time… the fact that he stood and held her for several minutes outside the women’s restroom at the most popular barbeque joint in town. If anyone passed them, she didn’t notice, both overwhelmed and comforted by the strong arms around her and the soft, sweet words being whispered to her in his sexy Scottish brogue.

  She was grateful her headache had subsided as well. Her meds had never worked that quickly before. Sooner than she would have liked, the ping of Connall’s cell phone brought her back to the present and she pushed away from him, disgusted at her display. “I’m sorry.”

  He smiled. “Why are you sorry?”

  “Because I don’t know you and you’ve been pulled into my drama.”

  His phone pinged again, but he continued to ignore it.<
br />
  “Don’t you need to answer that?”

  He shook his head. “Not until I know you’re all right.”

  “I’m fine. Really.”

  His phone pealed and Connall answered the call without taking his eyes off Pepper. “Yes, Kade.”

  Pepper heard her cell phone ring, muffled inside her purse, and she pulled it out. “Hi Dalton.”

  “Hey, did you fall in?” Dalton joked.

  Pepper wrinkled her nose. “Oh, you’re funny.”

  “I got a call from one of my agents. Your mom’s doing much better, but you still can’t see her.”

  “How come?”

  “Until we know exactly what happened, it’s not safe. Just trust me on that. She’s out of danger and resting comfortably for now. If anything changes I’ll let you know.”

  Pepper sighed. “Fine. Thanks.”

  She heard his hesitation as he said, “Looks like everyone’s getting ready to leave. Do you want to ride back with us?”

  She glanced at Connall, who was still on his phone, but he managed to shake his head. Pepper raised an eyebrow in challenge, which he mimicked. She couldn’t stop a slight smile as she went back to her phone call. “Um, no, Dalt. I’ll go with Connall. I’ll see you back at the hotel, okay?”

  “If you’re sure.”

  “I’m sure.”

  “Okay. See you later, then.”

  Pepper hung up and dropped her phone back in her purse.

  Connall was rubbing his forehead and nodding as he continued to speak to his brother. “Aye. I know. Yes. Kade, I’ve got it. Okay, ’bye.” He slipped his phone into his pocket and turned his attention back to Pepper. “Everyone’s heading back to the hotel. Are you ready?”

  “Not really,” she admitted.

  “We can stay here as long as you like.”

  “Or,” she mused.

  “Or, what?”

  “Would you mind if we went somewhere else first?”

  “Not at all.”

  “It’s a little bit of a drive,” she warned.

  He smiled. “I’ll go anywhere with you, lass. Lead the way.”

  Pepper grinned and led him to the car. If Sam trusted Connall enough to share Pepper’s secrets, then Pepper knew she could trust him as well. There was comfort in the fact that Sam was such a great judge of character. Pepper had always relied on her discernment and she hadn’t been led astray yet.