Shifters in the Shadows: Seventeen Paranormal Romances of Sexy Shifters, Dangerous Vamps, & Things That Go Bump in the Night

by J. K Harper

  “Relax,” he said. “The first and more important thing to do is to learn how to breathe.”

  “I already know how or I’d be dead,” she said.

  “We’re going to try heart breathing together.”

  “That sounds kind of New-Agey,” she said.

  “Trust me.” He locked gazes with her and held it. Within seconds, her expression transformed from one of skepticism to one of intrigue. “Let’s sit together.”

  After sliding off the bed, he helped her to the carpet. He sat first.

  “Sit in my lap, facing me,” he said.

  “I thought we weren’t going to have sex.”

  “We might. We might not. It’s not about that; it’s about our connection,” he said.

  For a moment, he wondered if he was making a mistake by trying this meditation with her. But as she settled into his lap and wrapped her legs around his waist, he knew he was on the right path.

  “Now, just focus on your heart,” he murmured. “Feel the soft tempo beating, pushing your life force throughout your entire body.”

  She closed her eyes. A gentle relaxation slackened the corners of her mouth. The tension in her face was replaced by a radiant sense of peace. He closed his eyes and breathed in time with his heartbeat. After he’d connected to his own life force, he opened his eyes to find her regarding him with a blissful expression.

  “Now put your hand on my heart,” he said. “And I’ll put mine on yours.”

  As she lay her hand on his chest, his pulse kicked. It didn’t regain its peaceful rhythm until he placed his palm against her.

  “Now what do we do?” she asked.

  “We breathe together until we feel completely connected.”

  With each inhalation, love blossomed in his heart. And with each exhalation, he poured that love into hers. He’d never felt such an intense connection with anyone until that moment, and he couldn’t help but wonder … at the end of the week, could he leave for Bali and never look back? Or would he be making the biggest mistake of his life?

  Chapter 5

  After spending almost the entire day in bed in a state of Tantric ecstasy, Sasha didn’t want to move a muscle.

  “Are you sure we have to get up?” she asked.

  “We should at least make an appearance today,” he said.

  She rolled onto her side. As he pulled on his clothes, she lamented the loss. He shouldn’t even be allowed to wear clothes. Talk about a crime against humanity. His chiseled arm muscles and rippling abs should be on display, like a modern-day David. Oh well, maybe she’d get to see him—all of him—again later.

  “Are you going to work on your project today?” he asked.

  “Yes. I have a date with my clay.”

  “Should I be jealous?” he asked with a sexy grin.

  “Maybe.”

  When she slid out of bed, he stopped to rake his gaze across her body.

  “Hmm, now I’m reconsidering my position,” he said.

  “And which position would that be?” she asked.

  His slow, sensual smile sent waves of wanton heat straight to her core. She padded across the room. When she reached him, she slid her fingers across his abs. She traced every ripple and curve until her fingers tingled with tactile memory. The spark of an idea took hold as she considered his perfection. Maybe he deserved to be rendered in clay.

  “If you keep touching me like that, we’ll never get anything done,” he murmured.

  “I know.”

  She stood on tiptoes to kiss his rugged lips. He cradled the back of her head in the palm of his hand as he consumed her with a scorching kiss.

  “I’ll see you at dinner?” he asked.

  “I may take a break to come out and see your sculpture,” she said.

  “I’d love that,” he said.

  As he released her, she sighed. He strolled toward the door and gave her a sizzling look before disappearing into the hall. She waited a few minutes to follow. Although she’d loved every minute she’d spent in his bed, she needed a shower and fresh clothes.

  After sneaking into her room, she reluctantly washed his scent from her body. Her bear grumbled at the loss, but the mind-blowing sex had been enough to keep her satiated—for now.

  She got dressed, and then hauled a twenty-pound block of clay onto the work table near her window. Movement outside caught her attention. She peeked out to find Jack standing halfway between the B&B and the barn. He waved. She smiled while returning the gesture. He turned and strolled through the snow. She watched him until he disappeared into the barn.

  What a sexy, intriguing man. They’d talked for hours in between their passionate bouts of lovemaking. He’d traveled the world and knew so much about other cultures. She’d listened to his low, gravelly voice until she couldn’t keep her eyes open. But she had to stop obsessing about him. He wasn’t interested in a committed relationship. He’d been perfectly clear about that fact and she had no right to expect more from him.

  She turned to regard the clay. Did she even have the right to mold it into an approximation of him? Would casting a permanent memory of him do her any good? She always kept photos of her work, but in this case, wouldn’t holding onto him hurt in the long run?

  She sighed as she grabbed a bowl from her tool kit. After filling it with water, she returned to the table. Come hell or high water, she had to get this piece done. Maybe she wouldn’t complete an exact replica of Jack, but she could still use him as inspiration.

  As she molded the gray clay into an approximation of a human form, she ran through a variety of options for making the piece unique. She couldn’t just create a man. Mrs. Bran would expect a more intricate piece. But what could she do?

  Stumped, she slid her fingers across the block. As she kneaded and worked the clay, the magic of creation took over. She didn’t stop molding the cool clay until she’d formed the head and torso of a man. The careful manipulation took hours to complete, and although she hadn’t fully worked out where she was headed with the piece, it was at least taking some kind of form.

  As she swiped the back of her hand across her forehead, her stomach growled. She couldn’t ignore the hunger pangs anymore, so she cleaned up the workspace. She headed downstairs and found Madison in the kitchen. Her hostess shoved a tray of raw biscuits into the oven before turning to greet her.

  “Hey, hon,” Madison said. “I was considering sending a search party up for you.”

  “I’m finally making some progress on my project,” Sasha said.

  “Great. What are you creating?”

  “I’m not one hundred percent sure yet, but I think it’s going to be a statue of a man.”

  “Really?” Madison asked. “Anyone in particular?”

  “No,” she responded quickly as heat flooded her cheeks.

  “I thought you may have found some inspiration here,” Madison said.

  “Um…”

  “I know I did. I met Mack here when I applied for the manager position,” Madison said.

  “You did?”

  “Yep,” Madison said. “It was lust at first sight. Don’t tell him I told you this, but we couldn’t keep our hands off of each other. I think Curvy Bear Ranch is so full of love that it’s impossible for a single person to leave here without a mate.”

  “Have a lot of shifters found their mates here?” Sasha asked.

  “Uh-huh,” Madison nodded. “All of my sisters-in-law came to the ranch for various reasons and never left.”

  “You should start a matchmaking service.”

  “I tried that once.” Madison chuckled. “It turned out all right, but I’ve been barred from meddling with relationships.” Her tone dropped to a conspiratorial whisper. “But I might make a few suggestions here and there.”

  “It’s hard to find love when you’re a shifter,” Sasha said. “Even if you find the right man, things seem to get complicated when you have to reveal that you turn into a five hundred-pound bear.”

  “I remem
ber when I found out Mack was a shifter. After I got over the shock, I realized that it didn’t matter. I’d fallen in love with him already and there was no denying that we belonged together.”

  “I’d love to find someone like that one day,” Sasha said wistfully.

  “You will,” Madison said. “You never know when the perfect mate will walk into your life. Be on the lookout, because you may have already met him. And he may be out behind the barn with a blowtorch right now.”

  “Oh boy.” Sasha laughed.

  “Did you want some lunch?” Madison asked.

  Sasha nodded, eager to change the subject. She didn’t want to have to explain that Jack was completely off-limits—at least emotionally. He’d made it very clear that she was welcome in his bed until the end of the week, but after that, he’d be leaving for Bali without her.

  “I made pulled pork,” Madison said. “I also have leftover lasagna. Your choice.”

  “I’ll take the pulled pork.”

  “Coming right up. You can sit at the counter if you want,” Madison said.

  Sasha slid onto a barstool at the island in the center of the kitchen. As Madison bustled around pulling containers from the fridge, Sasha looked outside. It wouldn’t hurt to go check on Jack after she’d eaten. Maybe he was hungry too.

  “Um, do you think you could make a plate for Jack too?” she asked. “He might be hungry.”

  “Of course,” Madison said. “I didn’t see him for breakfast or lunch. His bear has to be throwing a fit by now.”

  A few minutes later, Sasha carried two plates filled with food to the work area behind the barn. She found Jack wearing a welding helmet and wielding a blowtorch. When he spotted her, he waved a hand in greeting.

  “Give me a minute,” he said. “I’m almost done with this section.”

  “Sure.”

  Sasha set the plates down on a nearby picnic table. She turned to watch him work. Shirtless and dripping with sweat, his scent drifted on the gentle breeze. Her bear inhaled deeply and pranced around in her chest.

  He’s our mate, her bear said.

  He can’t be. He’s a commitment-phobe.

  Doesn’t matter, he’s ours, her bear insisted.

  Sasha shook her head. As much as she loved the little beast, she was clearly wrong in this case.

  Mine. Mine. Mine, her bear chanted.

  “Hush,” Sasha whispered.

  As he strolled over, she willed the creature to stay silent. Easier said than done. When Jack reached the table his eyes lit up.

  “I think my bear might be falling in love with you,” he said.

  “What?” Her head snapped up.

  “Because you brought him food,” he joked.

  “Oh, right.” Her shoulders sagged with disappointment. Of course he’d been kidding.

  “How’s your piece coming along?” he asked.

  “Good. I’ve at least decided on what kind of sculpture I want to make.”

  “Really? What?” He shoved a huge forkful of pulled pork into his mouth.

  “I’m doing a nude.”

  “Tell me more.” His eyes glimmered with mischief.

  “It’s going to be a man. That’s all I know for sure so far,” she said.

  “Hmm, a naked man. So maybe I did inspire you after all.”

  “Maybe.” She laughed as she took a bite of food. The succulent meat melted in her mouth. She’d have to ask Madison for the recipe later.

  “I’m making a nude also,” he said.

  “I can see that.” She glanced at the six-foot-tall tangle of twisted metal.

  “I have a lot of work to do on it, but I might need a nap.”

  “It’s almost five p.m.”

  “I know,” he said. “But I took a look at the hayloft earlier and it looked mighty comfy. You should come and check it out with me.”

  “We have perfectly good beds upstairs,” she said.

  “True.” He leaned toward her. “But there’s nothing like taking a nap where you’re not supposed to.”

  “Are we still talking about sleeping?” she asked with an arched brow.

  “Maybe.” He grinned as he polished off the rest of the food on his plate. She couldn’t look away. He’d stoked a simmering spark of awareness in her core. She could hardly cram the food into her mouth fast enough. Screw looking feminine and graceful; she wanted to see that hay loft.

  When she’d finished everything on her plate, she stood. “Well?”

  “I may have eaten too much,” he said.

  Her face fell.

  “Kidding.” He hopped up. “As if that’s possible. I could eat a slab of bacon and my bear would still be hollering for more.”

  “I know what you mean.”

  As she followed him into the barn, she glanced around. No one seemed to be nearby. She’d never done anything like this before. He hadn’t even touched her and she was already hot and ready for him.

  She crawled up the ladder to the loft and joined him behind a pile of hay bales.

  “See, it’s perfect,” he whispered.

  “There’s no place to lie down,” she said.

  “Who said anything about lying down?”

  Before she could ask what he meant, he moved to stand behind her. He wrapped one arm around her stomach and the other around her chest. He nuzzled the back of her neck.

  “What are you doing?” she whispered.

  “Mmm … tasting you.”

  His tongue darted out to trace a trail between his kisses. She leaned into him. Her breath quickened as liquid heat pooled in her sex. As his hands slid across her belly, she quivered. She’d never met a man who could transport her from zero to needy in seconds. She reached back and wrapped a hand around the back of his head. As she drew him closer, he pulled her shirt loose from her jeans.

  The first contact of skin on skin dissolved her fear of getting caught. The neighing horses faded into the background. The sultry essence of pure masculinity replaced the grassy scent of fresh hay. She forgot about everything but him.

  He walked her forward until her thighs touched a scratchy hay bale. With nowhere left to go, she leaned forward, placing her hands on the rough surface. His hand scraped down to unbutton and unzip her jeans. When his fingers dove below the waistband of her panties, she whimpered.

  “Shh, someone might hear us,” he murmured.

  The act of staying silent stole her breath. She couldn’t moan when he reached the soft thatch of hair. She couldn’t groan when his fingertips parted her slick folds. But when his velvety strokes settled on her clit, she cried out.

  “Shh,” he whispered.

  As if to help her, he reached around with his free hand to cradle her cheek. When she turned to suck his fingers between her lips, it was his turn to groan. He pushed her jeans down along with her panties. The swirling, parting, trembling of his fingers against her clit nearly destroyed her. She reached back and fumbled for his belt buckle. He grabbed her hand and pulled it behind her back.

  “You’ve been a very, very naughty girl,” he whispered.

  “Yes,” she agreed in a breathy tone.

  “Lean over.”

  She leaned to rest her forearms on the hay. She ignored the sharp bite of each piece. The entirety of her focus rested on the sound his zipper made as it slowly clicked down. She trembled in anticipation.

  When his jeans slipped down against her thighs, she shivered. He brushed the tip of his cock against her slick folds. She couldn’t take it. She couldn’t wait. She pushed back as he surged into her. A quiet desperation overcame her as he moved with slow, deliberate strokes. She wriggled against him.

  “More.”

  He obliged her with a quick succession of deep thrusts before tempering his pace.

  “Again,” she moaned.

  This time, he plunged into her over and over and didn’t stop. Her mouth hung open as gasping pants of reckless desire burst from her lips. The thick length of him filled her again and again, fanning the flam
es, stoking the blaze within.

  His hands clasped her breasts, drawing her back against him. His teeth grazed her neck before he nipped at the edge of her jaw. She cried out, unable to contain the ecstasy of being taken in a forbidden place, by a man she shouldn’t even be touching. A man this good in bed would only ruin her for anyone else. But she didn’t care. Let her be ruined. At least she’d have the memory of their carnal passion to keep her warm at night.

  “God,” he moaned.

  The slap of his thighs against the backs of her legs added to her increasingly wicked urge to be pounded into the hay. There was nothing sensual about this. It was pure animalistic lust that drove him. She responded with an arched back and spread thighs. She opened, taking him as deep as she’d ever taken anyone.

  Intense sparks of energy jutted out from her pussy. Her whole body closed in on itself until she focused on a single point of contact. His cock pressed against the ultra-sensitive spot that sent her tumbling over the edge. She screamed, completely unable to contain the explosive force of her orgasm.

  In a shuddering, trembling display of total release, she shook against him. He responded with even deeper, harder stroke. As a second orgasm rocked her, his fingers dug into her hips. He clung to her while frantically pushing into her.

  Her knees buckled. She sprawled across the hay but he didn’t stop. A guttural moan burst from his lips. He pulsed into her for several seconds before collapsing on top of her. After a few seconds, he spread wet kisses across her shoulders.

  “Oh my God,” he moaned.

  “Yeah.”

  “That was amazing,” he whispered.

  He stood and scooped her into his arms. He carried her to a spot on the floor devoid of hay where he set her on her feet.

  “Let me see if I can find something we can put down.” He rummaged through a cabinet and found a clean navy blue blanket. After spreading it out on the floor, he helped her sit. She lay on her side facing him.

  “I can’t believe we just did that,” she whispered.