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

by Mina Carter

  Eli was powerful, but Joseph was power. For some reason she didn’t want Eli to die. It seemed odd. She loved Joseph, and clearly Eli was Joseph’s enemy. Her desire to spare Eli’s life defied logic. Regardless, she actually felt a little obligated to protect Eli since the dumb son of a bitch appeared to have absolutely no sense of self-preservation.

  Logic didn’t matter. “Please take me inside, Joseph.” Purposely attempting to sound weak, hoping to manipulate Joseph by using his need to protect her to her advantage, she grabbed his hand. And just as she had expected, he turned his entire focus on her. Score! Pretending to be a weak, defenseless woman begging for her big, strong hero to come to her rescue worked like a charm.

  At first, he appeared to be worried. It wasn’t a surprise—she’d merged her mind fully with his to make sure he felt the full brunt of the physical discomfort she was experiencing. Then, shaking his head slightly, his lips slowly lifted in a sexy-as-hell smile. He looked down at her hand holding onto his. Score? You know even if I back down and take you inside, I’m still a man. And sooner or later—with any luck sooner—I plan to prove it to you.

  She cracked a smile. She’d always pretended that it drove her crazy, but truthfully, she loved Joseph’s sense of humor. I’ve seen you do some truly amazing things, but this … oh yeah … what a hot, yummy treat it would be. She made sure he heard her teasing, taunting laughter in his mind. And, what a magnificent miracle it would be. She made sure her voice sounded breathless as she glanced down at his crotch and licked her lips.

  Hmm. My angel is feeling frisky. She wants to play games with her man toy. Startled, her gaze jumped to his. This is wonderful news. I happen to love playing games. He was smiling at her, but something very dark and dangerous flashed in his eyes. Especially when the playtime involves my most favorite toy.

  Lust crashed into her, lust much more powerful than what Eli had used to manipulate her mind and body. She felt heat gathering in her, centering in her belly and spreading throughout her entire body. Wickedly delicious, scintillating sensations touched her everywhere all at once. She felt the moist heat of Joseph’s breath on her flesh; she felt his hands touching her, exploring, and adoring every inch and every curve of her body.

  At first, all thought lost to desire, she pressed her body closer to his. She wanted more. She yearned to wrap her legs around him and to feel the weight of his body on hers as he gazed into her eyes. She imagined what it would be like to have him fill her, to have him plunge his cock deep inside her body. Then she remembered where they were and what they were doing. And then she remembered Eli was standing in front of them. Heart racing, she held her breath. What are you doing, Joseph?

  I’m playing with you. His deep, lusty voice vibrated against her ear, causing her to ache to feel every inch of his flesh against hers.

  Stop it.

  Meeting Mia’s gaze, Joseph brought her hand to his mouth and kissed it. As you wish. Considering the situation, Joseph appeared to be way too calm for her liking. His absolute confidence in his control was startling when she could feel the dark violence growing in him. She knew his first and greatest urge was to kill Eli.

  “You’re wrong. My first and greatest urge is to give you pleasure.”

  She felt heat rise from her neck to her cheeks when she realized he’d spoken aloud, clearly intending Eli to hear. She knew he was using seduction to dare her to react, to get mad. He was punishing her for manipulating him. She also knew he was attempting to spur Eli into action. He wanted a reason to fight with Eli, wanted a reason to kill him. Her swallow was audible. She waited, hoping he would back down rather than fight with Eli and hoping Eli wouldn’t react to the taunting.

  Finally, as if finally fully agreeing to her wishes, Joseph nodded, but it didn’t put her at ease. She felt something building in him, something powerful and explosive. She could hear his heart pounding, thundering in his chest. “It’s lust.” He winked at her. “And sure, I would love to come inside with you.” He turned to face Eli. “We will finish this discussion later. For now, stay away from her.”

  Nodding, a small smile touched Eli’s mouth as he stared at Mia’s face, but it didn’t even add the slightest ray of light to his dark gaze. She clearly felt the ironclad resolve in him. He wasn’t giving up. He would come for her again.

  ~ Six ~

  NIKOLAS STARED DOWN at Brianna for several moments. He felt the most urgent, powerful, aching need to reach out and brush her long, reddish brown hair away from her cheeks, to get a better look at her, to touch her. He fought the desire of his heart. To resist the urge he folded his arms behind his back. “I need you to go back inside, Brianna.”

  Biting her lower, downturned lip, she took a single step back. Crushing him, the pain of rejection flashed in her sightless eyes. He had no choice but to comfort her, to love her. He took her hand and brought it to his mouth and kissed it. Pain and sadness combined with pleasure and joy filled his soul.

  Loving her was his reality; having her was a dream just out of his reach. He wouldn’t risk her well-being for his own satisfaction. Though he’d been careful to hide it from her, he’d always remained near, watching over her. He’d tried to stay away from her but was always helplessly drawn to her.

  She smiled up at him. “Nikolas.”

  Nothing could ever disarm him as thoroughly as the sweet sound of her voice saying his name. And despite knowing it was a mistake, he released her hand, wrapped his arms around her, and pulled her deep into his embrace. Closing his eyes, he trembled as the warmth of her body seeped into his flesh. “Are you okay, little one?”

  “What about Mia?” She arched her neck back as if she could see him. “Where’s Mia?”

  “She’s safe.” He bent his head to rest his forehead on hers. “She’s with Joseph.”

  “They were horrible men.”

  “I’m sorry you were afraid.”

  “I wasn’t.” She nuzzled closer to him, burrowing her head beneath his chin and against his chest. “You were with me from the moment I walked outside and realized there was a problem. It’s been such a long time. I’d started to believe I would never see you again,”

  “It’s been too long.” All at once, desire and love exploded in him. He wanted to drop to his knees and confess his eternal love to her and beg her to love him back. He should be making love to her, not struggling to find the strength to walk away from her again. But what choice did he have? He couldn’t escape the truth. He was capable of causing great harm to her. And he would never allow anything, including himself, to place her life and happiness in jeopardy.

  “Why have you stayed away? If you’re worried I took that one night too seriously you don’t need to,” she whispered against his chest, the tears in her voice as real as the tears burning in his eyes. “We got carried away. I know it was only a dance.”

  Only a dance? He wanted to let her know she was wrong. Heart pounding, he pressed his lips against the top of her head. His heart was breaking. He wanted to tell her he was always with her even when she didn’t feel him. He wanted to promise her she would never be alone. But he couldn’t. Bringing her sweet scent into his lungs, he took a deep breath and held it. It felt damn good to hold her. But it also felt wrong. She was so pure, so young, and so incredibly fragile.

  And he … well, he was extremely dark and dangerous—and so old she wouldn’t even be able to comprehend his age. He couldn’t allow her to love him.

  She smiled up at him. As always, her sightless gaze had landed right onto his. Seeing her beautiful smile, knowing it was for him, and wanting to feel it pressed against his lips was sheer agony. When she reached up to explore his face with the tips of her tiny, delicate fingers, his entire body shuddered.

  “You need to shave,” she teased as she framed his face between her hands.

  He placed his hand over her hand and turned his head to kiss the center of her palm. “Do I?” He was falling. He was quickly losing control. His body ached. His flesh burned. His heart thun
dered in his ears as if attempting to drown out the voice of reason. He couldn’t have her. He couldn’t risk her life. And yet … oh, damn. How would he ever find the strength to leave her when he was entirely consumed by desire?

  “I missed you, Nikolas.”

  Until the night he had met her he had never experienced such profound need for another person. He felt young, and so alive when he was with her. Being in love was a wonderful thing, but it was also a horrible thing. He could never make love with her. He could never worship and adore her body with his.

  “And I missed you.” He needed to put as much distance between them as possible as quickly as possible. “Let’s get you home.”

  Keeping her hand in his, he walked over to his motorcycle. Moving quickly, not daring to spend any more time with her than necessary to get her home, he helped her into his jacket, and then he got onto the motorcycle and took her hand to help her up.

  But rather than get up, she pulled her hand out of his. “Tell me what’s wrong. Why are you sad, Nikolas?”

  “It’s been a long day.” He took her hand again, and this time she got up on the seat behind him. “I’m just a bit tired.” Being immortal, he could never really feel fatigue. But in a way it was true. He was tired of existing. He was tired of being alone. He was tired of waiting for an end to it all.

  She scooted closer and wrapped her arms around his waist. “You’re not alone.”

  Placing his hand over hers, he laughed. “You’re too good at getting in my head, little one.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “No.” He turned his head to look at her. “Don’t apologize to me. Do you want to know a secret?”

  “Yes.”

  “Until meeting you, I’ve never encountered anyone able to enter my mind at will.”

  “But your mind is very open.”

  “Only to you, little one.” He laughed out loud. “You being able and willing to search my mind to know me doesn’t bother me at all. It feels wonderful. Now, move closer.” The air was cool, but his body was on fire, burning up with his desire for her. “Are you warm enough?”

  “Yes.” She wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her head against his back.

  He fired up the engine and started toward her home. While driving, he thought about what had happened in the alley. When he’d seen her cornered by werewolves, rage had taken over his mind and body even though she hadn’t really been in any danger. He could’ve killed them from miles away. How dare they touch her after he told them to keep their hands off her? Normally, he wouldn’t have killed so quickly. But they deserved to die. It didn’t matter that killing them was against just about every law in the treaty between their people. They’d touched her.

  Heaving an inward sigh, he looked up at the clear night sky. Being ten thousand years old, he’d seen and experienced many things until everything was old and dull. Now, however, everything was new. Even the night sky held new beauty and wonder when he was with her. He smiled. It was such a beautiful sight that he had to try to share it with her. He opened his mind more fully to her and immediately heard her gasp. Do you see it?

  She laughed, and he savored the precious sound of real delight in it. It’s amazing. There’re thousands. Oh, Nikolas, they’re so bright. I’ve heard many stories about stars, but I never imagined they would be so beautiful. They are stars, right?

  Yes.

  She snuggled up even closer to him and nuzzled her face against his back. Thank you for sharing this with me.

  He had been working on healing her eyes, but it was a long process since she’d been born with blindness. He figured within two years her sight would be fully restored. Soon you will see the stars with your own eyes. You will see everything with your own eyes.

  I bet they’re more beautiful through yours. Her soft voice, her words, were doing something amazing to his insides. His heart ached in ways he’d never known, and his soul was soaring to heights he’d never experienced before. A storm of electrical currents swept through him. She was his, forever his. No. Instantly, grief slammed into him, filled him. He could never have her.

  He turned the engine off and then reluctantly reached behind him to help her off the motorcycle. He wrapped his arm around her and walked her to the door. He knew better than to follow her inside … but he did it. The next thing he knew he was sitting on her bed, looking up at her as she did something he had never expected and wasn’t prepared to handle.

  Her sightless gaze was fixed onto his, and her tiny, delicate hands framed his face as she sat on his lap with her legs wrapped around his body. Her hands linked at the nape of his neck, she pulled him closer and kissed him. The strength of his will to spare her, to protect her against the threat he presented toward her, vanished.

  * * *

  One second Brianna’s legs were straddling him, and the next she was on her back with his body resting between her legs as she looked up into his strange golden brown eyes while they turned to black with flame-like golden flecks. The sight of his eyes changing color left her breathless. They were burning with hunger, with desire that was equal to hers. She didn’t waste a second questioning how his eyes changed or how she could see him clearly.

  Tears of joy burned behind her eyes as she simply savored the moment. He was the man of all men. He was strong and powerful in ways she might never comprehend. He’d lived thousands of years before her and would live thousands more after. But for now, for this marvelous moment in eternity, he belonged to her.

  “No,” he growled. “Not for this moment. I belong to you for forever.” He looked ferocious. “And you belong to me for forever,” he whispered softly. He was hers. Only hers. “For forever,” he whispered. And she knew it was a fact he would never dispute.

  His lips were firm and incredibly hot as he feasted on hers. His kiss was demanding. He was giving her all that he was and expecting all of her in return. Even through their clothing, she felt the scorching heat of his hot erection as he moved his hips and rubbed up against her.

  It was hard to fathom, but she knew he’d taken absolute possession of her soul for all time and had given her his. Next, it would be her body, his body. She’d never wanted anything more than she wanted to feel him inside her. His big, strong hands touched her gently, reverently. He explored her body, slipping his hand beneath her shirt to knead her breast and softly caress her ultra-sensitive nipples with his callused thumb.

  When he reached between their bodies, lower down her belly, and unbuttoned her pants, she was overcome with wild urgency. He slowly, kissing her gently, slipped his hand inside her pants. The instant his fingers touched her aching sex, every muscle in her body clenched and she cried out his name. “You’re so hot, so wet for me,” he whispered, his tongue teasing her ear.

  Parting her feminine folds, he stroked her gently. She couldn’t help but arch her body against his hand as she gripped his biceps and dug her nails into his flesh. “I love how you respond to my touch, how your body burns for mine.” Her heart raced wildly when his fingers entered her body and his thumb teased her clit.

  She was close to bursting, her sanity shattering into a million pieces. All she wanted, all she needed to make her complete, was to feel him moving deep inside her body. Reaching between their bodies, she managed to unbutton his jeans and slide her hand into his pants. His cock was hot and swollen with desire for her. He groaned his approval of her touch. He whispered a few words against her lips, but she couldn’t make them out. He was so hard, so impossibly huge. She would not survive unless he filled her body with his cock.

  “No.” He went completely still. She saw such deep, terrible pain in his eyes. “Oh, Brianna, I’m sorry.” The next thing she knew she couldn’t see him and he was lifting her and placing her on her feet.

  She could feel his gaze moving over her, studying her, as he struggled with something. She heard him walk away. She swallowed the lump in her throat. He was leaving her.

  “Nikolas.” She walked over to him. Needing
to see him, she reached up and traced his jaw and then his downturned lips. “What’s wrong?”

  “It hurts to look at you, to know you belong to me and that I can never be with you, little one. I’ve spent countless hours going over the facts, and it always leads me to the same conclusion. I would be an idiot to ever believe I have anything but death to offer you.”

  “What?” She was genuinely puzzled.

  “I love you. I want nothing more than to be with you, but it’s too dangerous.”

  She shook her head. “Just stop. You don’t need to make excuses. There are different types of love.”

  “I’m not making excuses. And I want nothing more than to have all of you. But I won’t risk your life.”

  “You’re afraid. I feel it whenever I’m around you. But I can’t figure out what a man as powerful as you are would be ever afraid of.” She paused. “Tell me what it is. Help me understand.”

  “I’m afraid I’ll hurt you.”

  “That’s crazy.”

  “It’s true.” Sadness deepened his voice.

  “I don’t believe it.” And she didn’t. So she searched his soul for the truth, and she found it.

  “It doesn’t matter.”

  “You’re afraid power has corrupted your soul so much that you would use it to hurt me.”

  “Who told you this?” He paused “Was it my brother?”

  “No.” She placed her hand over his heart. “You think it’s your mind I read without effort, but it isn’t. Your soul speaks to mine.” She took his hand and placed it over her heart. “You believe I’m better off without you.”

  “I’m right.”

  “You’re wrong.” She felt his anger and frustration growing, but she wasn’t afraid. Even if the anger was directed toward her, he would never hurt her. She knew it. It was time for him to know it.