The Supernatural Bounty Hunter Files Collector's Set: Books 1-10: Urban Fantasy Shifter Series

by Craig Halloran

  “But,” she said.

  Smoke felt the fires racing through his body start to cool. Oh no. Of course, “but” is a conditional word. It could be a good thing.

  “I need some time.” Cheek grazing his cheek, she slid her face across his, locked her fingers around his neck, and kissed him with grateful passion. She finished off with a gentle bite on his lip and added, “And I need some sleep too. I have to be clearheaded when I decide. You understand, don’t you?”

  “I’m not pushy, Sid. But I don’t want to be alone forever.” He brushed her hair out of her eyes. “I’m tired of drinking milkshakes by myself.”

  “Okay, stop before you get me all choked up again.” She eyed the ring, blinked, and said, “It’s gorgeous.” She closed his hand over it, forming a fist. “Just hold onto it for a little time.” She stood up and walked away to the car, opened the door, and disappeared inside.

  As Smoke rose, his heart sank.

  Asia walked over to him, batted her eyes at him, and said, “If it makes any difference, I would have said yes, bandage man.”

  “He didn’t ask you though, did he?” Mal nudged Asia toward the car. “Let’s get you something to eat before you say something even more insensitive than that.”

  “How is me saying I’d say yes being insensitive?” Asia asked Mal.

  “Because you said yes to me, and I know how that turned out.” He and Asia got in the car with Sid.

  Smoke was left with Sam and Guppy. Sam’s face was a mix of pity and anger. “Are you okay?”

  “I’m sore, exhausted, and rejected, but I’m alive. What more could I ask for?”

  “You deserve an answer.” Sam gave Smoke a hug. “But the truth is, your timing did suck.”

  “Sam,” Guppy retorted, “go easy on the guy. He just had his heart broken, and after all that fighting.”

  “She didn’t say no,” Smoke replied.

  “No, you listen to me,” Sam said, wincing and holding her arm that had been grazed by a bullet earlier. “Geez, that stings. But as I was saying. What kind of knucklehead proposes like that? Her hair’s a mess, her clothes are in tatters, and she just escaped from God knows what. And you asked her to marry you.” She poked her finger at the ground. “Right here? Right now? It’s sad and stupid. I’m not sure which is more.”

  Mal, Asia, and Sidney pulled away. Smoke watched until the red taillights were out of view. He looked at the ring. The round cut sparkled with the moon’s enchanting light. He took a quick glance at the moon. I could have sworn the time was right. He stuck it back inside his sweetheart suit and said, “Let’s go home.”

  CHAPTER 2

  Days went by without Smoke talking to anyone. He was back at his place, the old full-service gas station that had been modified into an apartment, working in the garage on his Camaro. The garage door was open and the sun was shining. The radio was playing country gold in the background. With his back to the sun, he leaned inside the open hood of the car. He cranked the ratchet, pulled it away, and twisted out one of the spark plugs. It read NGK Platinum.

  “It looks like your days are over,” he said to it, then tossed it into a metal trashcan with a black liner in it. He reached over to his roll cart of tools and opened up another NGK Platinum sparkplug box. He stuck the new plug in the engine, twisted away, and tightened it up with the ratchet.

  “One down, seven to go. And how about another oil change?”

  He liked working on cars, especially the older ones that he could still work on. He’d never been a restless man, but that kind of work gave him satisfaction. It gave him peace. Cars were beautiful things to him. And women like Sid who shared his affection for cars were all the more beautiful to him for it.

  Singing along to some Hank Williams Jr., he switched out three more spark plugs and took a swig of whatever from his Tervis tumbler. The throaty roar of a car engine caught his ear. He turned and looked down his driveway. A phantom-black Dodge Hellcat was coming up the drive. The engine drowned out the sound of the radio. A woman was behind the wheel. It was Sid.

  Leaning against the hood of his car, he took a red rag and wiped the grease off his hands. He dabbed the sweat from his brow and checked his shirt. It was a night-grey tank top with a battle axe logo on it. It was soaked with sweat. He gave himself a little shrug.

  Oh well.

  The rumbling Hellcat engine was cut off. The driver’s door popped open and Sidney got out. Her long black hair was pulled back in a ponytail. Her pretty eyes had the fire back in them. She wore a black spandex shirt that enhanced her athletic figure and matching pants with some neon pink patterns woven in.

  Smoke’s throat tightened and his mouth started to water. He wanted to take her up in his arms and feel her body against his all day and all night. He dropped the rag on the engine and started to speak but held back as soon as her lips parted.

  “Hi,” she said. She tilted her head a little to the side, staring at him, and added, “Are you okay? You look like I have a deader standing right behind me.”

  “No, I’m good. I just wasn’t certain how you were feeling.” He rubbed the back of his neck. Her eyes glided over his arms as he did so. “I just didn’t expect to see you so soon. Not that I’m bothered by that. I’m glad you’re here. I just thought you would need more time than this.”

  Crossing her arms under her breasts, she came closer. There was a playful look in her eyes. She said, “I needed time to rest. I slept almost an entire day. I’ve never slept more than eight hours before in my life.” She got closer. She chewed on her lip. “But there’s a first time for everything.”

  “We’ve spent a lot of first times together,” Smoke said. He had to fight to keep his hands by his sides. “Werewolves. Deaders. Rat men.”

  “True.” She started stroking her ponytail. “While I slept and when I awoke, all I’ve been able to think about is you. I wondered what that next first thing could be. Would we have another great moment like that together?”

  “Meaning?”

  Standing toe to toe with him, she took his hands in hers and placed them on her waist. Her gorgeous eyes met his. “Yes.”

  “Yes, you’ll marry me?”

  Sid nodded with a girlish smile over her chin.

  “Uh, great!” He started to pat himself down. He reached into his pants pocket and pulled out the ring. “Here.”

  “You still have the ring on you? Didn’t you have any doubts?”

  “Yes, but I like to be prepared—oh,” he said, taking a knee and grabbing her hand.

  She spread her fingers out. “At least you didn’t regurgitate it.”

  “Well, not this time.” He smiled quickly at her and slipped the ring on. They looked into each other’s loving eyes for a long moment. Sid came to her knees and embraced him. Her body set his on fire, and before he knew what hit him, he was flat on his back and they were kissing.

  Breaking it off and panting with passion, Sidney said, “Do you want a long engagement to think about it?”

  “No.”

  She started kissing him again and broke it off. “I want a church wedding where I grew up.”

  “I wouldn’t have it any other way.” He kissed her hands and stroked her face. “Can I ask what gave you such certainty?”

  “Life’s too short, and I want to spend as much of it as I can with you. Whether we fight together or die together, it doesn’t matter as long as I’m with you.” She started taking off his clothes.

  “Hey now, not until after the wedding.”

  “Geez! You’ve got to be kidding me.” She flashed him the ring. “We’re engaged now. It’s okay.”

  He felt like his body was about to burst at the seams, he wanted her so bad. Leaning back on his elbows, he managed a shrug. “Hey, I’m a traditional guy. It’s going to wait until our wedding night.”

  She kissed him several more times then stood up with the back of her hand to her forehead and said, “You big crazy virgin!” She headed back to her car.

 
“Where are you going?”

  “I’m leaving.”

  “Now? Why?” he asked.

  She opened up the Hellcat door and said with a huge grin, “Because I’ve got a wedding to plan!”

  CHAPTER 3

  After making quick work of the Camaro’s tune-up, Smoke showered, slipped into some clean clothes, got in the car, and headed down the road. His hands were tapping on the steering wheel and he was singing along to some Twisted Sister on the radio. He felt good. Better than good. He felt great, but he had to do one more thing. He had to stop by and see Sid’s parents.

  I hope they’re okay with this.

  Smoke had a shady past. It wasn’t because of any wrongdoing, but it still bothered him. Keith Shaw was a lawman, and Smoke was certain he wanted only the best for his daughter. And aside from what he could give of himself, he didn’t have that much to offer.

  Great Dane. I live in a garage. I wonder what they’d think if they saw my place.

  He squirmed in the Camaro’s seat. His fingers tingled. He’d always been even keeled, but now he felt a bit giddy. With butterflies in his stomach. Not much of anything had affected him this much before. The monsters, conspiracies, and flying bullets didn’t faze him one bit. But this was marriage. The commitment of a lifetime. Could he live up to those high standards? Would being married take away his edge or make it sharper?

  The unknown. How exciting.

  He pulled behind an old red Ford truck in the Shaw driveway and put the Camaro in park. As soon as his foot hit the pavement, Sid’s mother Sally came running out the front door. She had an apron on and looked as happy as she was pretty. Tears were in her eyes. “John! John! I’m so excited for you and Sidney!” She hugged him.

  “You already know?”

  Still hugging him, she said, “Of course I know. The mother is always the first to know.” She pushed herself back from him. “Why are you so surprised?”

  “Oh, well, I was hoping to run it by you and Keith first. It was spur of the moment.”

  Sally’s eyes started to flow with tears again. Sid had Sally’s eyes, but Sally was a shorter, home-cooked version of Allison. She dabbed her eyes with her apron and said, “You want to ask for me and Keith’s approval? That’s so sweet.”

  “Yes, I do. So, how’s he taking the news?”

  “Oh, you know Keith. He never gets too excited about anything, but I’m sure he’ll be glad to see you. Come on. He’s out back.” She took his hand and led him through the open garage and into the back yard. She was rubbing his hand the whole time. “You’ll be even more handsome in a tuxedo. I can’t wait.”

  The backyard was over an acre of greenery at the bottom of a tree-filled hillside. It was a beautiful spot with a children’s playset and stone benches set beneath the shade of the trees. There were birdhouses on poles, several gardens, a fish pond, a big red storage barn, and stacks of wood beneath a metal shed roof with no walls.

  Keith was on a John Deere riding mower. He wore a white T-shirt, work gloves, and sunglasses.

  “Keith!” Sally yelled as she waved her arms. “Keith! We have company!”

  The older man started riding the mower right for them.

  “Here he comes,” Sally said. She rubbed Smoke’s back. “I’ll get you both something to drink while you two talk.”

  “That would be great, thanks,” Smoke said.

  Sally cut through the grass, up onto the wooden deck, and through the sliding glass door into the kitchen.

  Keith stopped a few feet from Smoke and turned the mower off. He got up, took off his gloves and glasses, and set them in the seat. “How are you doing, John?” he said, extending his hand.

  “I’m doing great,” Smoke said, shaking Keith’s hand. The older man had an iron grip for a man in his fifties. His features were rugged, handsome and stern. You could see the decades of a seasoned law man in his eyes.

  “Not to beat around the bush, but I came to ask for your daughter’s hand in marriage.”

  “It’s a little late for that, isn’t it?”

  “I suppose, but it was a moment, and I wanted to do this in person. You two snowbirds were in Florida.”

  Keith picked up his cup of iced tea from the mower holder and said, “She already said yes, and she certainly doesn’t need any approval from me, not that she’d ask for it. As for you, John, I like you, and there isn’t very much reason for me to vet you at this point. You’re adults with your own lives, and I know little about what you do with your free time, but I know Sid, and she wouldn’t be with you if you weren’t one of the good guys. She has high standards.”

  “I appreciate that,” Smoke replied.

  Keith finished off his iced tea and set the glass in the holder. “If it makes you feel any better, I can still ask you some questions. After all, you did come all the way out here. Let’s go over there under the trees and have a seat while Sally brews up some more tea.” He walked toward the benches that sat beneath a pair of pine trees. “You ever had her tea?”

  “No.”

  “It’s great.” Keith sat down, and Smoke joined him on a separate stone bench. Eyeing Smoke, he said, “So, she wants to get married in our church. Are you okay with that?”

  “Absolutely.”

  “Are you saved?” Keith asked.

  “I am,” Smoke replied.

  Keith nodded. “That’s a good thing for many reasons, and it will help me sleep better, considering the kind of work you two are in. I’d like to see the both of you out of it. She’s too much like me and wants to fight that good fight, and I can sense that about you, too.” His hand trembled. “I miss the fight, but it takes a toll on you.”

  Smoke rubbed the stitched-up scar on his arm and said, “I know. It can be a real pain.”

  “Wait until you’re my age. Everything is stiff and moves a lot slower.” Keith laughed. “So, what about your family, John? You seem like a loner. Will they be at the wedding?”

  “I have family. They’re just hard to get ahold of. I promise to have some representation though. Samantha is my half sister, and I’m pretty sure she’ll be helping Sid and Sally make all the arrangements. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see who shows up at the rehearsal dinner. They love caviar.”

  Keith’s eyes widened. “Caviar! I can’t afford caviar. Not on my retirement.”

  Laughing, Smoke said, “I’ll let Samantha know, but there aren’t any guarantees.”

  “You’re a real funny guy, John. I’ll be right back.”

  “Where are you going?”

  “To get my shotgun.” He went into the garage and came back with a newspaper in his hand. He dropped it in Smoke’s lap.

  “A little odd for a shotgun. Is there a sale on them or something?” Smoke unfolded the paper. It was a copy of Nightfall DC.

  CHAPTER 4

  Smoke opened up the paper and leafed through the pages. “That’s some pretty interesting reading. Do you have a subscription to this?”

  “It’s no surprise you’re making light of it, but yes, I do, and I have a collection. There’s been some pretty interesting stories over the past year.” Head up and elbows on his knees, Keith leaned toward Smoke. “I’ve had run-ins with this stuff, and it scared the hell out of me.”

  Eyeing the pages, Smoke scanned the headline of one of the articles. “You mean you saw a rat man in the sewers, like the Ninja Turtles?”

  Keith’s voice lowered to a rumble. “Twenty years ago, I saw a man the size of three standing on the highway. It was raining, and he was turning some fella into hamburger meat with his fists. I shot him with my forty-five. Six times. He ripped off a car door and slung it at me like a Frisbee.” Keith pushed his hair up at the scalp line, revealing a nasty scar. “I woke up with this, happy to be alive, but almost got laughed out of the station. Hell, no one would believe me, so I blamed it on a concussion. Not long after that, I was at a law enforcement convention in DC when I came across that paper. It opened my eyes.”

  Smoke could se
e Sally through the kitchen window. “Does she know about your incident?”

  “She’s my wife,” Keith said. “I tell her just about everything, even that. She looked really worried when I told her, so I kinda backed off of it. Sally’s sweet and tough, but certain things she can’t handle. The supernatural creeps her out, and I have to hide these magazines from her. I have a boy in town that fetches them for me. I hide them in the garage among my tools.” The rugged lawman’s forehead crinkled. There was a lost look in his light eyes.

  Smoke could feel the man’s concern and worry. At the same time, he knew there wasn’t much point in trying to fool his father-in-law-to-be. Sure, the less they knew the better, but they might as well be prepared for the unexpected. “Keith, I’ve seen giants. And rat men that live in the sewers. A bunch of other rotten filth too. So has Sid. Do you want to hear more?”

  “I just need to know enough so that I can protect my family. Of course, last time, the bullets didn’t do much good.” He cocked his head at Smoke. “Can you kill them?”

  Smoke smiled. “You can kill anything with the right weapon.”

  Sally brought a pitcher of iced tea out on a tray and set it down on the bench. “How are you men doing? You look so serious. You should be happy.” She handed Smoke a glass. “This will make you happy.”

  He took a sip. “That’s delicious. I’m happier already.”

  Keith took off his Docksiders and rubbed his feet in the grass. “Ah, that feels good.”

  Sally handed her husband a fresh glass of tea. “For your feet maybe, but not for the grass.” She fanned her face. “Shew! For John’s sake I hope a breeze starts up. That’s awful.”

  The phone rang inside the kitchen.

  Sally perked up some more. “Oh, I bet that’s Sid. We’re going shopping for wedding dresses!” She scuttled toward the house.