by Zoey Indiana
Totally Spooked
A Shifter Speed Dating Romance
Zoey Indiana
Totally Spooked
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Copyright © 2020 By Zoey Indiana
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, please contact Zoey Indiana at [email protected].
Publisher’s Note: This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product 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.
Cover Art: ZDesigns
Contents
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Chapter 1
Come on Foxy Lady.
Chapter 2
Lions, tigers, and bears. Oh shit!
Chapter 3
In layman’s terms…
Chapter 4
Like a vampire bat?
Chapter 5
Who said I want to behave?
Chapter 6
Puppy dog eyes.
Chapter 7
This notice serves as your only warning.
Chapter 8
"Wait, did you just say pups?"
More Halloween Treats
Also by Zoey Indiana
A Note from the Author
About the Author
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Want more badass women finding the love they deserve? I’d love to tell you when the next book is available. Plus I always give my elite readers exclusive content, giveaways, sneak peeks, and the first look at new covers.
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To all the diverse individuals who walk through a less than perfect life and survive hard times, you are worthy. I appreciate all the hard work you’ve accomplished to be here and read my book.
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You are amazing, and don’t let anyone else tell you different.
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I wanted to add a side of humor in my heart wrenching love stories, so I hope you giggle as much as I did while writing this.
1
Come on Foxy Lady.
A deep sense of wrongness settled through me. I looked up, staring off into the distance at the ever darkening cloud. My inner beast pushed at me, trying to force me down so he could come to the surface and get us to safety, but I redoubled my efforts to stay in control. Just fifteen more minutes, then I could turn off the new sonar technology I was testing and throw the engines into full gear back to shore.
The sky lit up, followed a few seconds later by a clap of thunder. Seemed the storm was here, and it didn't care if I was finished. My research boat rocked as another wave from the incoming storm threw my balance off. Grabbing onto the wall of the cabin, I braced myself for the sudden change in direction as the wave passed. The surrounding room shifted, and I looked over the feedback from the sonar.
"Dammit." I'd decreased the amount of noise and disturbance the detector was picking up from the water turbulence, but it still wasn't enough. At least not from the small display of information I got on the boat. Once I was home, I could pop the data into my computer and analyze it better.
My hand shot up, bracing myself again as my face narrowly missed a small cabinet while the boat rocked. "Come on Foxy Lady, it's time to get outta here."
I hit the button to retract the sonar, then fired up the engines. After the array was safely stored back in the boat, I cranked the souped up engines into full speed. I'd carefully designed the boat to look like every other boat in any marina, but the engines could push forty knots with the customized design and engines I'd helped create for the research vessel.
When I approached shore, instead of pulling up to a marina, I docked Foxy Lady in my high-tech boathouse. With several acres of coastline on my private property, it was easy enough to keep Foxy Lady away from the grubby hands of any government officials. If they knew what that boat could do, it would be seized in a hot second. Stepping off the deck onto solid land left my brain scrambling to adapt to being stationary again. Even after spending more time on sea than land or air, my body still struggled with the change.
My animal form pushed at me again, demanding to be released. He hated being trapped when I was on the boat and craved to feel the cool water through his fur. The storm was coming, but he'd have time for a quick dip now that we weren't on the edge of it. Except, I needed to get this research uploaded and start the computer analysis.
"Not now. I'll shift soon, but not right now."
He shoved at me one last time before he settled down. I finished uploading the data from the Foxy Lady, then headed into my attached house. Just like my boat, the house was specially designed with an open floor plan for the times when I shifted inside.
"One of these days, Felix, you're going to lose the race against a storm." The familiar voice of Jaden echoed through the living room.
"And one day you'll realize this is my house, not yours." I grumbled back at the panther shifter I considered a brother.
We'd spent ten long years working as part of a small team for the shifter subdivision of the military. While most humans didn't know about us, there were select humans we worked with. When they'd learned shifters were real, they knew they'd need ops teams to help protect us from other nations who'd already incorporated them.
"Su casa is mi casa or some shit like that." Jaden sat on my couch with a beer in his hand. "Besides, how are we going to find mates if I don't tell you about this cool dating event tonight."
My beast threw itself to the surface at the idea of a mate. A mate? Where is she, I must find her!
Wrangling him back until I was in full control again took several seconds. I'd felt his need, and if I had to admit the truth, I wanted a mate too. But I knew it was rare to find a fated mate, so I refused to get my hopes up. Relax buddy, we'll find a mate soon enough.
Once he was settled down, I turned my attention back to Jaden. "What crazy idea do you have this time? I'm not going on another blind date. That female lizard shifter tried to eat me, and not in the fun way."
"It was just a nibble." Jaden leaned forward and pulled a paper out of his back pocket. He reached out to me, shaking the folded white sheet. "Besides this will be at Wolfsbane, that shifter bar down on 55th Avenue. It promises to be the experience of a lifetime."
"I haven't agreed to go, let alone signed up." I snatched the paper out of his hand.
Before I had time to open the paper and read it, Jaden added. "I took care of that already. I registered for you which included a picture so they know who you are at the bar, and all you need to get in is that paper. It starts in two hours, so you should go shower. Wouldn't want to scare your future mate off because you smell like rotten fish."
Instead of protesting, I flipped him off as I headed up the stairs. He wouldn't let this go, and one thing I'd learned since meeting Jaden, it was that he always got his way. I glanced at the sheet of paper before setting it on the dresser.
Sensory shifter speed dating promises to give you an experience you'll never forget, but don't worry, we'll provide the blindfold for you. Wouldn't want anyone getting a sneak peek at their fated mate.
How did you date someone with a blindfold anyway?
2
Lions, tigers, and bears. Oh shit!
"You will not fuck this up. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for everyone, and if it goes
well, we'll be able to do this again. There are more females looking for mates than the five attending tonight's events. If you screw around, and they cancel future events, I'll kill you myself." The guard opened the door with a glare directed at both of us.
The urge to punch the tree-rubbing bear in the face rolled over me. I didn't like being threatened. His good mood had to be from the shit ton of money they'd make, or the fact he couldn't get a chance with the females. "I'm here to find my mate, nothing else."
He snorted but let us by. Before I could step through the door, a commotion broke out. Two bears dragged out something purple and fuzzy. The bouncer waved us back from the door as they dragged the thing through the door. Now that it was up close, I could see it was a furry unicorn with purple fur and a long colorful mane. The bears threw him out into the alley then stood there glaring at him with arms crossed. As he got up, the stuffed unicorn head fell off. A scrawny human male appeared.
"What was that for? I have an invitation!" Jaden elbowed me in the side, just in case I missed the spectacle. I shot him a glare before watching the scene unfold.
"You just got uninvited." One of the bears announced.
"You can't do that!" The furry picked up his unicorn head by the horn and turned on the males. "I'm here to find my mate!"
"Fine, if you can get past my brother and I, I'll let you stay." The furry shot a glance at the door, then huffed as he stomped away, his rainbow tail fluttering in the wind. The bear grumbled after he was out of hearing range. "When will these stupid furry wannabes get it through their minds they're not almost shifters?'
I didn't know what to make of the scene, but gladly continued into the bar when the bouncer waved me through. Stepping through the door to Wolfsbane, I glanced around while moving past the bouncer. Logan was a bulky male bear shifter whose family owned and operated this exclusive bar. Wolfsbane catered to the animal shifter community, which meant the number one reason so many bouncers were on the floor at all times was to prevent an unsuspecting fragile human from getting in. Not only was our alcohol far more potent than human made drinks, drunk shifters fighting could get deadly. Add in five females ready to mate and almost a hundred desperate, horny, and naturally dominant male shifters… this could get ugly quick.
Bright purple and orange lights swathed the bar. Beware and haunted caution tape covered the doors and windows. I shot a glare at Jaden. "Seriously?"
"Humans set this event up, not shifters. They actually like Halloween. Probably didn't realize how much we dislike the holiday." Jaden grinned as he elbowed me. "Apparently they like bats, they're everywhere."
"Those are decorations, not real ones." I pinched my nose while fighting the urge to leave. "I can't believe I let you talk me into this."
Jaden stepped beside me as we followed the line of males. The building was half bar and half nightclub. The alcohol bar serviced both, but the only connecting doors were limited to staff. A roped off path led from the open area of the bar to one of the employee entrances between the two buildings. I'd only been inside the club side once and thought I'd remembered seeing private rooms in the back for more intimate conversations.
"Now we wait until our numbers are picked." Jaden went over to the nearest table and sat.
I joined him and stared at the entrance. Was my mate on the other side of those doors? The three burly bears standing in human form near the entrance reminded me and all the other eager males that this would only go down one way... however they chose. My own beast pushed for me to go through that door and claim my mate, but I was sure everyone here felt that way. How did Jaden manage to look so relaxed?
"I'm starting to feel less and less optimistic." Jaden indicated to someone behind me.
"Who's here?" I didn't dare turn around and draw the attention of whoever he'd seen.
Jaden picked up one of the beers that appeared on the table and took a long swig. "We have lions, tigers, and bears. Oh shit! The alpha from the Wallace wolf pack is here."
"I wouldn't want to take them on in a fight, but what does it matter if they're here?"
"I'm just as confident as the next male, but do you think we hold any chance against them? No female would pick us over them."
"You do realize the chances of finding our fated mates are slim." I waved my hand around to indicate all the males. "It's a statistical impossibility we'll all find one. Besides, only the fates can choose our mates."
"Fate is a cruel bitch." For the first time in a long time, Jaden's roll-with-it expression broke. His eyes narrowed on me as he leaned forward. "We both know that you'll work yourself to death without someone to care for you. You don't listen to me. One of these days your guilt about Arric will be the death of you."
The mention of my dead twin brother made me explode. "Don't you dare throw this in my face right now! I'm-"
A soft female voice interrupted me. "Excuse me...are you Felix and Jaden?" She held up photos of us printed on paper. When we both nodded, she continued. "You're next. Please follow me."
She didn't wait for us to respond before she turned on her heel and walked to the door to the club. I stepped through first, blinking a few times to adjust my eyesight to the much darker room. Before I finished, the woman handed Jaden and me blindfolds. Looking around, I saw more of the orange and purple lights, but not a single glimpse of a human female.
"Please put on your blindfolds. You'll be led into a room with a human female. They all know about our kind, so discretion isn't required. Outside each room will be a lion protector monitoring all activity inside. If they deem any of your actions inappropriate, you'll be removed and banned. If you get a mate connection with one of the females, she must accept you to pull you out of the rotation. Until then, no names. You have fifteen minutes each."
Fifteen minutes to decide if she was my mate? While I wasn't worried about my beast, he would know immediately if she was his mate, would I know? Or better yet, would I be able to win her over in a blink of time? The natural lifespan of shifters was several times longer than that of an unmated human. It didn't seem fair.
"What about the blindfolds?" Jaiden asked before I could.
"Those can only be removed by the female if she accepts you as her mate. Because they are humans and don't want any unselected dominant males refusing to take no for an answer, so taking it off on your own counts as an invasion of her privacy and you'll be immediately removed." She gestured to our blindfolds. "We can't start until your eyes are covered."
Emotions warred inside of me. I wanted to find my mate, but the idea of being blindfolded and led around from room to room waiting for an unknown female to find me acceptable was against my nature. Would I give up the chance at a fated mate because of my own pride? Hell no. If one of these females turned out to be the other half of my soul, I wouldn't hesitate to do this again to win her. Besides, I would show her just how dominant I could be when she was screaming my name in pleasure.
My beast thrashed around inside of me, insisting she wasn't far away. Tying the fabric behind my head, I covered my eyes, hoping this night of dates wouldn't be like the others. I didn't think I could handle another one of those.
3
In layman’s terms…
A hand on my shoulder shoved me forward. I heard a click and realized I didn't have a clue about the layout of this room. I'd never been to the club side before. Besides, there was a decent possibility they'd rearranged for this event anyway.
My ears pricked up, listening for any signs the soul the gods had created to fit perfectly with mine was in the room. I inhaled deep. While the feminine scent that met my nose was pleasant, it didn't win over my beast. I'd heard about all consuming need that would flood through me the moment I got close to my mate, but I wasn't feeling it.
"Holy shit, you're hot!" A high-pitched female voice exclaimed while footsteps came toward me.
"Thank you." What else was I supposed to say? It's not like I could see her to return the compliment, and I didn't think telling her she
smelled good would get the same reaction.
Hands caressed my chest, then trailed downward. "Oh, my god." She toyed with the edge of my shirt, like she wanted to untuck it. "You're ripped."
Her hands tightened around my belt, and I grabbed them. "I think we should get to know each other more." They slipped from my grasp, but returned to my chest. He didn't like her touch, and neither did I, but I didn't want to hurt her, or make her mad and risk the bears' wrath.
"Sure. What do you want to know?" Before I could ask her a question, she spoke again. "I could describe my Halloween costume to you."
"Uhh, how about a few of your favorite places to go?"
"Hmm… I like bedrooms." Something brushed my ear. "Or cars. Pretty much anywhere with a bit of privacy." I felt fingers sliding through my hair, getting suspiciously close to the blindfold I was wearing. "Let me take this off. Then we can head outside and really get to know each other."
Oh, hell no. Her invitation sounded more like a nightmare. This human woman didn't want a mate, just a good fuck. I clutched the knot, trying to keep her from untying it. The last thing I wanted was to give up my chance to find my mate for an annoying female's momentary interest. Finally untangling her hands from my blindfold, they trailed over my shoulders then down my back.
"Mhm, you like playing hard to get. I'm game." Anger flared inside of me. She wasn't getting the hint. A moment later, her hands settled on my ass. My beast wanted to scare her off because she wasn't our mate. Touching her felt wrong.
