by J. C RIMELL
A lethal soldier and a deadly shifter, Cade has pledged his life to serve and protect alongside his Shadow Pack members. Dangerous missions and assassinations are what he lives for, but all that changes when Kit McCoy arrives in Shadow Creek. She's beautiful and fascinating and has stirred an animal instinct within him he can't escape.
Kit can't deny she wants the elusive and darkly handsome Cade Grayson. Everything about him sets her pulse racing and her body craving his touch, but wracked with guilt and emotionally scarred by a tragic accident, Kit refuses to give in to her desires.
When an unknown, supernatural species they call the Others begin sweeping through the town and taking humans with them, Kit is thrust into a world that blurs between reality and one still unknown to her. A hunt is on for the killers, and Kit has a choice to make that will change her life forever.
To surrender her heart means losing a part of herself she isn't sure she can sacrifice, but walking away means forsaking the only man she's ever loved...
License Notes
This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return it and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental.
Copyright © 2015 J.C.Rimell. All rights reserved.
Dedication
To my husband. My soul mate in this world and the next.
I love you.
Always and Forever.
Acknowledgments
To my good friend, Severine, who opened my eyes to the awesome world of Paranormal Romance. Without you, my stories would never be told. Merci. Bisous x With gratitude to Constance Renfrow, your valuable input helped spur me forward. Tina, thank you for your honest critique, your encouragement, and for pointing me in the right direction. Kathy, I am so grateful for your generosity, support, and kind words. You're a gem. Thank you. To Sue and my mystery proofreader. Thank you for your efforts and for sticking with me to help make my book shine a little brighter. With appreciation to Lauren, for loving my story and all those who have supported and believed in me. You've given me the courage to follow my dream. I hope you come along for the rest of the journey.
Table of Contents
License Notes
Dedication
Acknowledgments
Table Of Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty-One
Chapter Thirty-Two
Chapter Thirty-Three
Chapter Thirty-Four
Chapter Thirty-Five
Chapter Thirty-Six
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Chapter Forty
Chapter Forty-One
Chapter Forty-Two
Chapter Forty-Three
Chapter Forty-Four
Chapter Forty-Five
Chapter Forty-Six
Chapter Forty-Seven
Chapter Forty-Eight
Chapter Forty-Nine
Chapter Fifty
Chapter Fifty-One
Chapter Fifty-Two
Chapter Fifty-Three
Chapter Fifty-Four
Chapter Fifty-Five
Chapter Fifty-Six
Chapter Fifty-Seven
Chapter Fifty-Eight
Chapter Fifty-Nine
Chapter Sixty
Chapter Sixty-One
Chapter Sixty-Two
Chapter Sixty-Three
Chapter Sixty-Four
Chapter Sixty-Five
Epilogue
About The Author
Chapter One
It is said that lovers don’t just finally meet somewhere; they are in each other all along.
Unknown Author
Becker's bar was quiet for a Friday night. Normally propped up by regulars who lingered until the early hours and then moved on to the Grave Yard, a nightclub down the street. It could have something to do with the recent storm, Cade thought, staring into the pale gold liquid at the bottom of his glass. It was raining like a bitch outside but had dampened the sticky heat that had proved unbearable over the past three days.
Then again, maybe people avoided Becker's because Cade and three of his comrades were in there drinking. He snorted at the thought.
Yeah, together they looked damn intimidating.
He downed the last drop of his whiskey and slid the empty tumbler along the polished bar toward Jessie, the sexy bartender.
“Another, angel,” Cade demanded, keeping his tone light and flashing her a killer smile that was utterly sinful.
“The kid's asking for trouble sniffing around that female,” Ryker drawled, adding a teasing lilt to his Carolina accent before sipping the last mouthful of his favorite, Highland Gaelic Ale. His keen eyes were shadowed by the peak of his Harley cap, but his sight was firmly trained on Snow. The young male in his charge had been trying his luck at wooing a pretty blonde sitting alone in a corner booth.
Perched beside him on a bar stool, the wood groaned beneath the weight of heavy muscle as Cade chuckled, the sound laced with dark humor. “Ah, the pup's got to learn sometime. He's itching to lose his virginity.” His own fiery gaze far more intrigued with Jessie as she handed him a fresh drink along with a provocative lick of her generous, red lips.
Nevada knocked back her head and drank the Tequila shot down in one gulp.
“Yeah. The transition will do that to you,” she said, after sucking a wedge of lime dry. She then peered around her two pack mates to take a look at Snow. A playfulness dancing on her lips as she watched him trying to talk the young woman around to his way of thinking.
“Shit, yeah it does,” Cade muttered, remembering his own transition with more clarity than he liked. As a young, pre-transitional male, he'd been tall, but scrawny, with a scar that maimed his face and another that marred his heart. Girls hadn't given him a second glance. But that all changed once the transition hit. His scars were still visible, but he'd allowed his thick, ebony hair to grow to hide some of the facial disfiguration. His body had filled out into solid muscle, and his sexual drive had become an appetite unlike any he'd ever known. A consuming, relentless need, along with his wolf that was wild and uncontrollable in the beginning. A scary, life-changing ex
perience no matter how well a pre-transitional youngster was advised. Nothing prepared them for the reality that struck like a bolt of lightning out of the blue.
“Why don't you show him how it's done, Cade?” Nevada goaded with a mischievous laugh.
Cade's eyes reared up and caught Jessie's familiar, deep brown gaze looking back at him, a neat brow raised in suspicion. He cocked his head toward Nevada, gave the young blonde woman a fleeting glance and said, “She's a little too innocent for my liking.”
A grunt. “Really? I never knew you were that picky, Cade Grayson.”
His eyes swung back to meet Jessie's. A corner of his mouth tugged up in a half smile. “You'd be surprised.”
“Oh, I am,” Nevada replied, finishing her third Tequila shot. Her eyes pinched tight as she sucked the bitter juice from another wedge of lime. “Trust me, I thought all you males took whatever you could get, whenever you could get it.”
“You wound me with your judgmental attitude, Nev,” Ryker replied, covering his heart with mock-insult.
Nevada repaid him with an exaggerated smile. “Bite me,” she said, her eyes gliding sideways to the door as it opened, and three men walked in. “Looks like we've got company.”
The damp, late night air flowed in on a cool breeze, carrying the scents of the sea and salt from the nearby coastline, and musty earth of the surrounding woodland. Shadow Creek's situation afforded the town with flat coastal plains. Further inland, the foothills at the base of the mountains were lush with forests, rivers, and waterfalls. It was home for Cade and the other members of his pack.
Cade flicked his head over his broad shoulder. “Shit.” A knowing glare from the largest male out of the threesome told him at once there'd be trouble. The petite blonde who Snow had gotten cozy with was clearly already taken. “Ryker,” he said in a cool tone as he got up from his stool. His full height cast a shadow in the room, along with Ryker and Nevada who joined him. All garbed in black combats and military boots, the three of them were every inch as deadly lethal as they looked.
“Hey, guys,” Jessie whispered from behind the bar, “take it easy. Becker will go nuts if this place gets trashed again.”
Cade threw her a reassuring wink. It had only been two weeks since his last brawl with a guy that tried to take advantage of Jessie. Not that she couldn't handle herself, and it wasn't because Cade had an exclusive relationship with her. He'd have done the same for any woman.
Shifter males were extremely protective, even more so if they were mated. Pete Becker, the owner, hadn't made a formal complaint due to the fact Cade had defended Jessie's honor. Nevertheless, the guy had been pissed all the same. Having to re-mirror and replace the whole back section of the bar, restock the liquor and refit a new window, he'd hardly be so lenient again.
Cade didn't need his astute senses to know the three males were human and intoxicated. Although neither were a threat to himself or his comrades, he never underestimated the opposition.
Ryker drew Snow's attention with a short, sharp whistle.
Snow's head whipped round, the young shifter made a quick assessment of the situation and backed away from his quest. If there was one thing shifter males understood on a fundamental level, you didn't try it on with another guy's woman. Shifter or human. Ever.
“We don't want any trouble.” Ryker's voice bristled with an edge of warning as he approached the three young men who stood dripping wet from head to foot. His concealed gaze watched for every twitch, every slight movement of their bodies.
Cade, Nevada, and Snow moved forward to stand at Ryker's back. As the most senior shifter between them, it was up to him to contain the situation and stop it going bandy.
“Oh, yeah?” The male answered with a slur, his glassy eyes still trying to focus onto Ryker's face. Unable to pinpoint the shifter's hidden glare, he bellowed, “Joanna, get your ass over here.” The two men behind him snickered, equally drunk and pathetic.
A growl emanated from Snow. Having just gone through his transition from a teenager to a young adult shifter, he was still getting to grips with his inner wolf. Something which took the average shifter years to master.
Cade gripped his arm and felt him tremble. “Take it easy, Snow,” he whispered, well aware just how feral his wolf would be below the surface. It was taking everything Snow had to keep it from surging forward.
“I'm not going anywhere with you. I told you to leave me the hell alone, Richie,” the young woman snapped. She shuffled from out of the booth and moved a little closer to where the two groups were standing.
Cade stepped to the side to shield her. “You heard the lady.” His voice had taken on a rough edge. His own wolf pacing close to the surface, preparing for a fight he could feel lingering on the periphery. “I think it's best if you guys leave, now.”
Several tense seconds passed before the leader of the threesome pushed a hand through his mop of soaked hair and grunted. “Get out of my fuckin' way. I want a drink.”
Ryker's head tilted to one side as his sharp eyes narrowed in annoyance. His wolf clawed at his skin, wanting out, but the man remained composed, a calm before the storm. “I'm going to say this once...” he stepped closer, so the solid wall of his muscled chest pushed against the male and sent him stumbling backward. His two buddies moved aside, “… you're drunk and the lady ain't leaving with you three jack ass's tonight.”
Cade's fists clenched, ready for what he instinctively knew would happen. Giving both Nevada and Snow a fleeting warning of his silver streaked eyes, they formed a semi-circle around the males and closed in on them like a feral wolf pack hunting prey.
“Hey, man.” One of the males tapped his friend on the shoulder while his eyes darted nervously between Cade and the others. “Come on, let's get out of here.”
“You should listen to your buddy,” Cade said, watching as fear splintered in the male's hazel eyes. The smell of adrenaline filled his nostrils, the sound of their panicked heartbeats drummed like a percussion in his ears.
“Fuck you.”
“I don't think so.” Cade caught the male's fist in his palm as it swung toward him and closed his fingers around it. The deadly grip crushing bone and causing the male to squeal and scream like a wild pig.
“Cade, that's enough.” Nevada's voice was almost subvocal. Her concern not for the guy whose hand was being crushed beyond any kind of repair. But for Cade, who seemed to find himself in their Alpha's bad book most of the time. “He's got the message.”
“That right?” Cade squeezed harder, twisting the male's arm around in a quick flick. The sound of a sickening crack as the arm snapped, bringing him to his knees and tears springing from his eyes. “You got the message yet―Richie―or should I call you Dick?”
“Please, fuck yes… please,” he cried. Sweat covered his forehead. Agonizing pain creased his plump face into an ugly, indistinguishable image.
“We'll take him. Please, man, let him go,” one of the other males pleaded with his hands palm up and open in surrender.
Cade's glare intensified on the foolish man now kneeling before him. His grip was an iron fist coiled around shattered bones and a broken arm that had the guy screaming in pain.
Back the hell off now Cade. That's a fucking order.
Ryker's telepathic command had Cade's head snapping around and searching for his secretive gaze. “Fine,” Cade spat out in obvious reluctance, thrusting the guy away from him and leaving the two sidekicks to drag his sorry ass out of the place.
“Shit, Cade. You know I have to report this to Fleet, right?” Ryker held the gray eyes of his ally, the streaks of silver sparking like lightning in restrained fury. Any injuries to humans had to be reported back to their Alpha. Since their true identities were still unknown, any complaints had to be handled with care and secrecy. Even a possible mind sweep depending on the threat level.
Cade gave a nonchalant shrug. Lucky for him his cousin was the Chief of Police. “The guy was an asshole, he fucking deserved it.”
>
“Come on, we should leave now. This place will be hot in a couple of minutes, and I for one don't want to be answering a shitload of questions,” Nevada prompted, pushing open the door for them to exit, the rain hitting the side of her face as the breeze carried it in. “Snow, bring the girl. We'll drop her wherever she needs to go, but make it snappy.”
The youngster nodded and tried to calm his heated wolf's gaze. He took the female by the hand and tugged her forward, her movements a little robotic with her mouth gaping as they left. Nevada following close behind.
Ryker waited until Snow and the girl had gone before turning to Cade, who had taken his seat back at the bar. “You coming?”
“Go on ahead,” he replied without looking back. His eyes were steady on Ryker's reflection in the mirror behind the bar when he said, “I'll give Jessie a lift home.”
“What? So I get to clean up your mess, again?” Ryker shook his head. “What is it with you, Cade? Why the hell do you have such a chip on your goddamn shoulder?”
Cade's glare narrowed. Heat sparked in his silver eyes as he focused on his pack mate, but he offered no response. This was neither the time nor the place for that conversation.
“You want to be respected?” Ryker asked, the question sounding more of an assumption. “Then try to earn it.” Unsurprised by the shifter's rebellious streak, Ryker turned on his heel and left without him.
Cade's gaze darkened as it shifted from his comrade back to Jessie, his sexual hunger-spiking into raw desire. “Lock up and let's go, angel.”
Chapter Two
Cade stroked his hands over Jessie's pert ass and lifted her onto the bed. Their hair and clothing were wet from getting caught in the rain on the way to her beach-front home. The silk, ivory sheets shimmered on the double bed, lit by the ribbons of moonlight piercing the narrow slats of the wooden blind. She giggled, tipsy from having a little to drink before they'd left the bar.
“Here we are again, Cade Grayson,” she sighed as her fingers laced through his hair.
