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

by Mina Carter

  “Probably monkeys that got woken up by the wind and were jumping between the trees scared as hell. I wouldn’t worry a bit.” This time Ryan kept his eyes on Buddy, because he worried that Lexi would easily spot the worrisome look he still had. He justified his lie by telling himself there was no need to put Lexi in a panic when there seemed to be no more imminent threat.

  The three of them crawled into the bed together and once again drifted toward sleep. It was mid-morning when Ryan’s phone rang. He scrambled over the top of Lexi to grab it. He remained in place, casually lounging on her as he answered the call. When the call disconnected, he placed the phone back on the table before rolling back to his side of the bed.

  “We will leave this afternoon. A helicopter will be here at three to take us to a private runway where we’ll catch a plane to Panama and take a charter flight to Israel. We’ll take Buddy down to the fishing village in a bit. He’ll enjoy visiting with friends until we...I mean, until I get back.”

  Lexi had just starting to process what Ryan had said. What about after this trip? Will it be a—we? I sure hope so, but I have to remember what Marcie said. I can’t let myself get too attached to him, but what if I already am?

  Chapter Eight

  THE LONG TRIP to Tel Aviv seemed much shorter because of the time Lexi and Ryan had spent talking with one another. They enjoyed each other’s company and conversations so much that they had to remind themselves to get some sleep on the way. All of the little details of their personalities meshed together perfectly on the flight.

  The plane was a passenger jet that had been converted to carry cargo, with the exception of a few extra seats. Other than the flight crew, Ryan and Lexi enjoyed complete privacy to not only enjoy talking, but to continue their intimate adventures.

  Lexi smiled and looked out the window. She watched the tops of thunderstorms gathering. The sky seemed like it was wrapped in an endless sunset. The tops of thunderheads mushroomed upwards into beautiful pink and orange clouds.

  She drifted off to sleep and was haunted by another troubling dream. The nightmare seemed to drift up from the shadowy depths of her mind. She felt like she was flying through a forest that was flooded with pale light from the fullness of the moon. Shades of deep blue and black filled the air as she soared through the shadowy spaces between large cedar trees.

  She came to a halt, hovering above a naked woman sitting alone in the dense forest. The woman spoke in strange words. Lexi strained to listen to what the woman said, but found she couldn’t understand the language. Lexi tried to call out to the woman, but her voice was frozen by the paralysis of dreams. She couldn’t make a sound.

  The naked woman looked up. Lexi silently screamed at the sight of the hideous face. Its sunken cheeks and hollow eyes gazed up at her. The woman turned away and then looked up once again. This time, the face smiled at her and Lexi gasped as it was a face that she immediately recognized. It was the smiling face of her best friend Marcie. Lexi woke with a start and quickly jumped out of her seat, shocked by the dream.

  Ryan took her hand as he tried to comfort her. “You sure do dream a lot. Nightmares?”

  “Yeah, ever since the night before I left Montana, it seems like I’ve had very weird dreams. I think it must have something to do with everything that’s going on. Plus, I seem to have an owl problem.”

  “An owl problem?” Ryan asked bewildered.

  “Well, the night before that letter came I had this huge horned owl sitting in a tree outside of my bedroom window. It came again the next night and even when I stayed the night in Arlington, there was a great horned owl outside of the window. When we were at your place, I didn’t see one, but I could swear I heard it out there in the middle of the night. Those weren’t dreams, but they sure seem like a weird coincidence. I’m sure they have me spooked into making my dreams a little scary. This last one seemed like I was flying—like an owl and then I saw someone sitting in the woods. I don’t know, I think it’s just stress.”

  “Well that explains the reaction you had when I told you about the owl that I encountered with the African voodoo doctor. I was wondering why that part of the story bothered you so much.”

  She was glad to be awake now, and to have Ryan there with her. The supernatural aura of her dream was still buzzing in her mind and she felt strangely erotic. It was as if the dream wiped away her inhibitions. An idea that was more of an impulse pushed her into action. Lexi dropped down to her knees.

  “There is something I want...”

  “What’s that, Lex?”

  “I want to take you in my mouth. I want to taste you.”

  She lifted his shirt, exposing his toned hard abs. She kissed a soft trail down Ryan’s waist and unzipped his pants.

  I can’t believe I am going to do this. What has gotten in to me? She thought.

  His hard shaft sprung free from its confines. Lexi grasped it with her hand and stroked him slowly. Her tongue traveled up and down his length. When she reached the tip, she ran her tongue around it, exploring its shape and the smoothness of the skin. She parted her lips and did her best to take his large cock deep into her mouth.

  She felt compelled to show him how much she loved having him with her, and that she wasn’t afraid to take advantage of him, just a little. His hands twisted through her hair as her head slid up and down, slowly at first before she sucked him faster. Her palm wrapped tight around his rod and joined in unison with her mouth. She quickened her pace to heighten Ryan’s pleasure.

  Lexi continued to vary her technique. She loved the ecstasy that rolled in waves over his hard body. She could tell he was holding back his release, trying to prolong the enjoyment. Lexi never thought such an act could turn her on so much, but it did. She watched his body tighten as his climax approached. She felt his cock throbbing in her mouth, begging for release.

  “Lex. Oh God, baby!” Ryan cried out. Lexi devoured him aggressively. She wanted him to let go of any control that he was trying to maintain. Ryan’s body arched and she could feel his climax shooting into her mouth. He trembled with the aftershocks from his release as Lexi continued her sensual assault. Giving Ryan that much pleasure made her feel wild, and she didn’t want to stop.

  Ryan pulled her off of her knees and kissed her neck softly. “Wow Lex—that was incredible and completely unexpected.”

  “I know I’m probably not that good at it, seeing as you are the only guy I’ve ever been with, but I hope you don’t mind. It’s something I wanted to do, and to be honest, it really turns me on.”

  Ryan chuckled, “No Lex, I don’t mind at all, in fact—any time you want it, feel free. And for the record, you are absolutely amazing.”

  She had allowed herself to let go. Lexi let her new bond with Ryan take away any resistance she had to opening her heart to him. She knew she could only feel that way under the spell of love. What came over me? What does he think I’m really like now? I can’t help myself. I‘m falling in love with him, I know it.

  Their flight touched down at Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv, Israel. Once they had finally stopped at the cargo terminal, two men boarded the plane. The handshakes and hugs with Ryan told Lexi that they were old friends reunited. They all walked over to Lexi to be introduced. Ryan put one arm over her shoulder.

  “Guys, this is my girlfriend, Lexi. Lexi Salenko.”

  Lexi was happily surprised when she heard herself introduced in that manner, for it was the first time in her life that she had experienced it. She was equally impressed by how Ryan never paused or stumbled, but rather deliberately and confidently called her his girlfriend. She had a large smile, as she shook the men’s strong hands.

  Their stature was very much like Ryan’s. The two men were fit and toned, not to mention ruggedly handsome. The only difference was their dark olive complexion. They both sported jet black hair in different close cropped styles. The men standing before her could easily pass for Gods, but she only had eyes for Ryan.

  Ryan looked to Lexi and int
roduced his friends, “Lexi, this is David and that’s Ben.” Ryan made a sweeping gesture with his hand, indicating each man. “They’re old friends of mine and they have made sure Dr. Meier will be expecting us. They have also arranged transportation to Haifa, and a hotel for us there.”

  Before Lexi could speak, David quickly pulled her into a quick embrace. He swiftly lifted her in a gentle bear hug, before depositing her small frame back on the ground. She could see the impish traits that he seemed to possess, especially when he turned his childish grin on her. “So, what did you use? Magic? Blackmail? Ryan Kidd has never had a girlfriend, just a trail of broken hearts!”

  Lexi couldn’t help but laugh at the question. “Well, it was easy actually. Once I had him cornered, I hypnotized him.” David laughed, but Ben was much more reserved and failed to find the humor in the situation.

  Lexi could tell that he was exactly the cocky kind of guy she had expected to meet in Colombia. He had a perfectly trimmed mustache. His beard was more of a small goatee, with only a short thin line on either side of his face that ran up to meet small sideburns. His t-shirt was purposefully tight to showcase the bulk of muscles.

  “Listen Lexi, I know you aren’t aware of it, but you must not joke with Dr. Meier about hypnosis. I don’t know the details, but that much I do know.” After his warning, Ben’s face lit up and she was shocked by the sudden change in his personality.

  “By the way, welcome to Israel. I’m really sorry Ryan has you Kidd napped,” He laughed at his little pun. “Say, if you get tired of him, I’m single.”

  Ryan gave Ben a playful shove and they walked away from Lexi as they finished their conversation. Lexi was fully aware that Ryan seemed to whisper something as he leaned closer to his friends. She had also noticed that he had taken a number of bills from his wallet and had placed them in David’s upturned palm. After the exchange was made, Ryan patted his friends on the shoulder and walked back to where Lexi was waiting.

  “It looks like we have some time to kill before we meet the doctor. He isn’t available until tomorrow. We can get the car, take a drive to Haifa and get checked in at our hotel. Maybe find some food. After that, we can head back out. I’d like to show you the city and this will give you a chance to do some shopping as well.”

  He pointed towards Ben and David, who were walking away. “They won’t be with us, but if we need anything, they’ll be available. They will arrange anything else that we may need, after our doctor’s appointment.”

  Lexi and Ryan walked to a waiting white SUV and loaded the few hard plastic cases that Ryan described as his gear. Ryan glanced at a glossy plastic coated map before heading out on their way.

  Ryan circumvented the city of Tel Aviv by taking Israel Highway 2, heading north along the coast toward Haifa. The area near Tel Aviv seemed to be more crowded than Lexi had imagined, but as they put more distance behind them, she noticed how the land became much more open.

  It reminded her a lot of Southern California. The city was warm and dry, with scatterings of green spread haphazardly through the tan landscape. Clusters of buildings and small towns could be found everywhere. Ryan rolled the windows down, so they could enjoy the warm clean air and blue afternoon sky.

  As they started their second hour of driving, Lexi noticed the hill ahead of them. She could see that a city was beginning to appear as they drew closer. The traffic became even more congested, and she saw a couple of large cargo ships not far out in the sea.

  “This is Haifa. It’s a major port and transportation hub, but it is also a big tourist destination. I think you’ll like it here.” When Ryan slowed down, Lexi noticed a grouping of large hotels near the beach. She was disappointed when Ryan turned off the highway and away from the beach.

  The road he took was narrow. There were many cars parked on each side of the street. The remaining drivable surface seemed like it was simply an afterthought or a courtesy, given by a community of valets. The road snaked through several switchbacks and up the hill.

  “This is Mount Carmel. If we walk on this hill later, don’t worry about having to traverse these crazy streets, because believe it or not, there is a subway that runs up and down the hill. Kind of like a completely modern version of those old antique incline trains they have in Pittsburgh, if you’ve ever heard of them. The only difference is these ones are buried deep underground. They’re actually pretty cool.”

  The drive continued, as they approached a breathtakingly beautiful park. Lexi asked Ryan to stop for a minute so she could take in the stunning panoramic view before her. The hillside was perfectly terraced and covered in a meticulously maintained green grass. A red, brick stair case lined with fully grown palm trees traveled up the center of the park. It came to a stop at a beautiful temple made of white stone and crowned with a golden dome. Lexi was in awe at the sight she beheld as she had never seen anything like it before.

  The gardens appeared to go on behind the building into even more intricate landscaping themes. “What is that?” Lexi exclaimed. “I don’t think I have ever came across something as unexpectedly cool as this. The street actually goes underneath the garden behind that temple!”

  “It’s a shrine or temple for a religion called the Baha’i Faith. I can’t tell you too much about them, but from what little I understand about it, they believe all religions are connected and that they all add up to just one religion for everyone. Remember what I said about Israel drawing in archaeologists and spies? I should have added religions to that list. Just about every religion I can think of has a major site in Israel. There must be something to it, because it is pretty remarkable when you think about it.”

  Lexi speculated on what Ryan had said. “Well, maybe there could be another reason for Kurt and Kate to have been in Israel, besides just their occupations. Maybe it was for a spiritual reason?”

  She thought a little more. “I doubt it, though. Neither of them ever mentioned religion. It just wasn’t important to them, but you never know.”

  Ryan continued to drive up the hill, until he reached the front of the magnificent Dan Carmel. The spectacular five star hotel towered over the city and the port located below. The view from atop the hill was unlike any resort or hotel she had ever visited.

  “Wow! I must admit, your boys have impeccable taste. Look at this place.” Lexi remarked.

  Ryan maneuvered the SUV under the overhang in front of the lobby doors. They exited the vehicle and handed the keys to a valet. A porter picked up the cases from the SUV as they walked in through large glass doors and across a plush carpet. The lobby was spacious, yet seemed warm and welcoming.

  Lexi grimaced at her shorts and t-shirt, wishing she had something a bit more upscale to wear. As she glanced around the immaculate lobby, she noticed a clothing store that was just a few short steps away.

  “Give me just a minute while you check in?” She had assumed they would share a room at this point, but she still had a very tiny bit of doubt since Ryan hadn’t mentioned anything. She walked into the store and made quick work of picking through the racks. Once Ryan finished, he met back up with Lexi where she was just wrapping up at the register of the clothing store.

  They quickly followed the porter to the elevator. Lexi was a little surprised when he pressed the button for the top floor. When the elevator finally came to a halt, the porter quietly ushered the couple to their room. The porter left the cases just outside of the suite as Ryan slowly opened the door, allowing Lexi a full view of his surprise.

  Lexi was astonished by the three giant bouquets of roses set out in very conspicuous places. “Oh my god! You are just full of surprises, aren’t you? How did you get all of these in here?”

  “I can’t give up all my secrets, can I?” He flashed a smile and his trademark wink. “Seriously though, back at the airport I asked the guys to make a few changes to the reservations they had made, and I wanted to tell them to order a few flowers for you. I guess they got a little carried away or wanted to impress you, by the looks
of the room.”

  “Well done. You never cease to amaze me. Just for the record, I am very impressed!”

  “That was my plan! Besides, after we meet with the doctor who knows where we might be headed to chase down your sister. We could end up traipsing around the desert for a while looking for Kate, and we may not get a decent break for a while. So what do you say? Nice long showers, relax a little, enjoy the luxury of this suite and then take a walk this evening? Get a bite to eat?”

  Lexi nodded in agreement and began her self-guided tour of the suite. She stopped along the way, often rising up on her tiptoes to get a closer look at several of the oil paintings that decorated the walls.

  Ryan watched her with delight as she stood with her back to him up on her toes. He realized how much he loved just looking at not only her body, but the way she moved, always curious and noticing every detail around her. He loved seeing the way her eyes lit up, when she found something that sparked her interest.

  God, I love that girl. The thought should have stopped Ryan in his tracks, but it didn’t. He should have been scared to death to have that feeling for her, but he felt no fear. Instead, he felt a warmth settle in his chest because he knew that loving her was the best feeling he ever had.

  She turned around and smiled at him before disappearing into the shower.

  After Lexi was done with her shower, she quickly evaluated the hasty purchases she had made earlier. She wanted to look nice, but she didn’t want to overdo it either. She had no idea where Ryan planned to take her, and what the dress called for. She threw on a light dress, quickly dried her hair, and headed out to the balcony to wait for Ryan.

  She was hypnotized by the view before her and didn’t hear Ryan when he quietly exited the bathroom. He was quickly captivated by the sight of her on the balcony before him as she looked out over the city below and the sea in the distance. Ryan was delighted by her choice of clothing. The coral short sleeved lace summer dress molded gently to each of her curves, without being too provocative. She left her long hair down. It flowed gently over her shoulders and left a look of causal grace.