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

by J. K Harper

  “I don’t know if that visual is any better,” she said, reaching across to smack his arm. “I’m just kidding. It doesn’t bother me that much. Guess I have a strong stomach when it comes to blood.”

  Before they had a chance to enjoy a bite of food, Ivy came running into the restaurant. “We have a situation. All those shoes you ordered with the metal buckles are now stuck at Kennedy Airport. Apparently, they are setting off alarms, and we'll need to open every box. These have to ship out Monday, so we have to grab them today. Want me to handle it with Molly? I’m so sorry for interrupting your date,” she said, rambling and staring at her watch.

  Sandoval and Charlotte smiled at each other when they heard the word “date.”

  "I better take care of this," Charlotte said. "I apologize."

  “More marrow for me. Can I get a rain check?”

  “Absolutely.”

  “Let me walk you out,” he said, placing his hand on her back again.

  “I just realized I don’t know your first name,” she said as she leaned into him.

  “It’s Gabriel or just Gabe, whatever you prefer."

  “No, it’s what you prefer to be called.”

  He hesitated for a moment before looking her in the eyes and said, “I just want you to call me.” Gabe leaned against the waiting cab and crossed his arms, revealing his muscular forearms.

  “You have no idea just how old-fashioned I truly am,” Charlotte said. “You will be the one doing all the calling.”

  “Fair enough.” He smiled and stepped forward, pulling a pen from his pocket and holding his open palm up. “Write your number down for me.”

  As she placed one hand under his for leverage and started to write, he playfully flipped his palm and gave her hand a squeeze. “I already have your number,” he said. “That’s why I get this fancy badge. I just wanted to see if you’d give it to me … and maybe hold your hand.”

  He held open the cab door and placed his hand under the doorframe to keep her from hitting her head as she entered. She smiled and waved as the cab drove away.

  “How cute! He wanted to protect your little head.”

  “Huh?”

  “Somebody looks a little love drunk.” Ivy reached over and felt Charlotte’s forehead. “Yep, just as I suspected. You’ve got a mean case of the Blue Fever.”

  “He’s ridiculously hot. Did you see his ass? He has baseball player booty. It's nice, round, and juicy. It’s my favorite part to grab onto and…”

  “She’s alive!”

  The driver started to giggle and looked in the rearview mirror to see who was causing the ruckus.

  "If you need to add on a horny passenger surcharge, by all means, do it," Ivy teased.

  “I feel terrible even thinking about this stuff while he’s investigating that missing girl.”

  “Was she on the tapes?”

  "Yes, coming and leaving. We didn't see anything strange, but Gabe still wants to talk to the staff tonight." She turned in her seat to face Ivy and whispered. "For a moment, I thought maybe Julian had done something."

  “Was he on the tapes?”

  “He wasn’t anywhere near her, but the friend she came in with was that Brandi chick.”

  “Bottom shelf Brandi?”

  “That one.”

  “Maybe she’s out having fun with some hot guy.”

  “That’s what I was thinking, but Gabe said she could be in one of the rivers. Did you know about the ‘Spring Thaw’ when the bodies pop up?”

  “What the fuck! Now my brain will keep imagining a Whack-A-Mole game with corpses.”

  “Seriously. The strange thing is that I kept staring at the tape thinking it could have been one of us . . . my kind. I almost thought it would be better for Gina to be locked in some basement with a stalker than taken by one of us."

  “That is some fucked up thinking.”

  “I know! I didn’t say I was proud of it. I just don’t want any attention on us. I still feel the need to protect the family at any cost.”

  “I hope I fall into that family.”

  “You know you do … crazy bitch.”

  Ivy laughed and said, “For the rest of the afternoon, I only want to think about happy things and shoes. Got it? Happy things and shoes.”

  “And Gabe’s juicy ass.”

  “I believe that falls under the ‘happy’ category.”

  Chapter 4

  They made it to Kennedy and for several hours they did their best to help agents clear every box. Each shoe and boot had to go through its own examination. Charlotte was beginning to think they just hated her style and were punishing her for it. As she grabbed for the last box, she felt herself wobble a little.

  “You okay? Ivy asked, grabbing her by the elbow. “We’ve been here for hours. Need to sneak off for a quick feed?”

  “No. This place is crawling with cameras. Let’s just finish and get our asses back to the house.”

  They piled the merchandise quickly and sloppily into the trucks. “I’ll go back tonight and make sure they’re all in the right boxes,” Ivy said. “Right now I just want to get you back and fed.”

  This time, the cab driver was a bubbly, young man who had a habit of turning around a lot to look at them and join in the conversation. Ivy had her wrist primed and ready, but the perky driver kept interrupting. When they finally hit Manhattan, the traffic forced him to stare forward and concentrate. Charlotte made her move, leaning over and pretending to reach for something before quickly clamping onto Ivy’s wrist. Ivy warned her that it was too crowded, and everyone would be able to see as the cab came to a stop, so she told him to keep circling. As the cab made the first pass around the building, they didn’t notice Agnes, Molly, and Sandoval walking along the block. Agnes was too busy describing the buildings, but both Molly and Sandoval saw Charlotte bending over Ivy. Neither said a thing, choosing instead to keep walking towards the club in silence.

  The cab did one more lap before coming to a stop in front of the club. A handful of uniformed officers were there taking statements from the employees and the surrounding neighbors. Some were checking stairwells and looking in nearby cars, alleys, and dumpsters.

  “You look a little pale,” Gabe said when he saw Charlotte. “Are you feeling okay?”

  “I’m good. My blood sugar just got a little low.”

  “Maybe you should go back and rest a little. We’ve got this covered.”

  Charlotte didn’t argue. She was afraid she would say something strange in her woozy state.

  “I can walk her back to the house,” Molly said, stepping forward.

  “That would be a great help,” Ivy said. “I’ll head over to the warehouse and make sure they have all the right shoes in the correct boxes. It will be a complete nightmare if they don’t.”

  She jumped back in the cab and left Molly to hold down the fort. Charlotte knew her energy would quickly return, and the air felt fresh on her face as they walked. Molly seemed extra quiet along the way. They entered the house and Molly escorted her to the couch before sitting down next to her.

  “I know why you’re pale” she blurted out.

  “It's been a long day and I just wore myself out.”

  Molly shook her head and said, “I know.” She stood up and did what looked like a curtsy before kneeling down in front of Charlotte and tilting her head to one side. She moved her long locks away to expose her neck and gently stroked her skin. “It’s okay.”

  “What the fuck? Did you just curtsy?”

  “I have a feeling this is why you hired me. Your secret is safe with me.”

  “How do you know I even have a secret?”

  “I saw something when you passed by in the cab. You were leaning over Ivy … feeding. Ivy needs to start her family and now you need me. I promise. It's okay." Molly leaned forward again, exposing her neck.

  Charlotte couldn’t help but laugh. “And to think we were worried about how to tell you. Here, sit next to me,” she said, patting the
cushion. “You’ll be surprised to learn my preferred entry point is the wrist or the crook of the elbow. It leaves very little mess. I need to know why this comes so naturally to you?”

  “I want to be needed.”

  “You’re not afraid at all? You’re acting like this is completely normal.”

  "This is New York. My definition of ‘normal' has changed substantially."

  Charlotte nodded her head in understanding.

  “Will I be turned?”

  “Not unless you drink enough of my blood.”

  Molly held out her wrist again and took a deep breath. Charlotte held her hand, running her fingers along the veins on Molly’s arm.

  “I’m feeling fine right now. I don’t think I really need any.”

  “Better safe than sorry. You didn't look too hot before. You might require more energy to help Detective Sandoval.”

  Charlotte sat up straight at the mere mention of his name. “Point taken. I just want you to stop me if you notice any pain or start to feel afraid … or if you just want to say ‘fuck this.’ I won’t get offended.”

  She slowly extended her fangs as she watched the veins pulsing. Molly's eyes grew larger and her body tensed up, but she never looked away. Charlotte shook the wrist to loosen it before slowly introducing her fangs. Molly gasped, but it was closer to a sound of pleasure than pain. After a few minutes, Charlotte licked the entry point to give her a break.

  “Are you doing okay?” Charlotte waited for Molly to nod before taking a little more.

  "It feels amazing," Molly whispered as she sat quietly. “I feel heat and energy rushing through my body. I can’t explain it. What happens if you take too much?”

  "Then you die, but we'd like to avoid that if possible." Charlotte licked the entry once more before rising to her feet. "Can I get you some coffee?"

  Molly nodded again without saying a word. When Charlotte returned a few minutes later, Molly was sound asleep on the couch.

  “The first time is always the hardest,” she chuckled to herself. She swung the kitchen door open to dump out the cup and jumped at the sight of Detective Sandoval.

  “Gabe! You scared the shit out of me.”

  “You should lock your doors. What happened to Molly? She looks zonked out.”

  “How long were you standing there? How did I not hear you?”

  "I have the fancy badge, remember? I know lots of tricks."

  “Is this our rain check?”

  “Hopefully one of many.” He leaned against the counter and looked her up and down. “You could have told me your secret.”

  “What is it with today and everyone's obsession with secrets?" she asked nervously. "I don't know what you think you saw, but—"

  “Relax,” he said with complete confidence. “Several women in the precinct are bisexual.”

  Charlotte stood there with her mouth open for several minutes before nearly collapsing on the ground with laughter. “I’m not!” she said between gasps of air. “I love cock!” She covered her mouth, hoping it would trap the sound.

  “I’m confused,” he said, furrowing his brow as he stared at her. “You were leaning over Ivy and now Molly…”

  “Don’t get me wrong. I have secrets, but bisexuality isn’t one of them.”

  "Okay, then when do I get to hear these secrets?"

  “When I’m sure you’re mine,” she said, leaning with her back against the counter. The directness of the comment surprised them both. Her inner Aunt Agnes had finally escaped and refused to go back in the box.

  He took a step closer and pulled her to him before gently placing kisses on her forehead and mouth.

  “Here's a secret," Charlotte said, kissing him one more time. "I liked you the moment I smelled you." She pulled away for a moment and crinkled her nose. "That came out weird. I just meant…"

  “Shhhh,” he said. “I liked you the moment I smelled you too.”

  Gabe picked her up and placed her on the counter, sliding his hands down her thighs to remove her stilettos. His gentleness seemed to be reserved only for the first kiss as he quickly unbuttoned her blouse, taking one of her nipples into his mouth and sucking on the rosy flesh. While burying his face in her chest, his hands moved up her skirt and grabbed at the curve of her ass.

  “Why don’t we go to my room? We’ll have more privacy.”

  He ignored her request and bent down to nibble on her inner thigh, causing her head to fall back against the cabinets with a thud.

  “Sorry,” he whispered, bringing her down to the ground and pressing her back against his chest. He wrapped his arms around her waist and asked, “Which way?”

  She tried to guide him down the hallway, but his hands continued their exploration, tucking into her panties until his fingers gently rubbed her clit. His upper hand massaged her breasts as she tried to take one futile step in front of the other. It felt like she was walking through sand with each restricted step. She arched her back against him with every small stroke of his fingers.

  He covered her mouth as she tried to release each moan. "You don't want to wake Molly, do you?" She reached up and wrapped her arms around his shaved head while his mouth moved along her neck. His strong hands made their way to every soft spot on her body.

  The private elevator provided a safe space to release the trapped moans as her clit continued swelling from his touch. They nearly tumbled out as it delivered them in front of her door. The two-story windows of her bedroom lit up with views of the city. As soon as the door closed behind them, he ripped her top off, exposing her breasts to the windows and any soul who might be watching.

  When he reached her four-poster bed, he placed her face down, so her hips were still hanging over the side. He yanked her skirt and panties off without uttering a word. Charlotte wasn’t complaining, however. She was enjoying every bit of his roughness, eagerly obeying as he grabbed her hips and lifted her lower body up until she was on all fours.

  Before she could look over her shoulder to say anything, the heat of his mouth was covering her clit. She groaned and fell forward from the sheer pleasure, but he soon gripped her hips and pulled her back towards his face. Her hips began to grind as she lost herself in the feeling of his tongue sliding between her smooth flesh. When he stopped momentarily, she looked behind to find him rubbing the bulge in his pants while still squeezing her ass with his free hand.

  She tried slowly turning to face him, but he easily flipped her onto her back. Gabe placed one of Charlotte's hands over her sweetness, positioning two fingers over the swollen clit. He held his hand over hers to control the movement, taking momentary pauses to lick her glistening fingertips. When her clit became extra sensitive to touch, he would turn her into a writhing mess by rubbing it faster until her legs shook with exhaustion.

  It was hard for him to go more than a few minutes without tasting her. His mouth gravitated to her center, ever ready with soft strokes from his tongue. The softness didn’t last for long, however, as if her bucking and grinding had somehow flipped the switch and brought on an animalistic frenzy. His tongue became more forceful and aggressively explored her flesh. The sucking of her clit grew harder until she heard him releasing low growls against her pussy. The sound of the growling had an unexpected and unwanted effect. She felt her eyes dilating and her fangs trying to extend.

  Shit! Charlotte tried to flip over so he wouldn't see her face, but it turned into a slippery wrestling match. She covered her face with the comforter and begged him to fuck her from behind.

  “Leave your gun and badge on,” she purred. “I want to feel them smacking against my ass.”

  He obliged and flipped her over, unzipping his pants and leaving his belt intact. Charlotte wanted desperately to see his cock, but couldn't risk an accidental fang sighting. She buried her face and braced for whatever he was packing below the waist. The tip of his cock was warm and thick. He pressed it hard against her smooth opening just to get it partially ready. It was a tight fit. Gabe pushed her flat on th
e bed and climbed on top, so his legs straddled her ass and thighs. It was the only way to gain enough leverage for a proper pounding.

  She groaned as her warmth welcomed him. It took several strokes for his entire shaft to be accepted. Once it was, however, her softness didn’t want to let him go.

  "Am I hurting you?" he whispered in her ear. All she could do was shake her head and moan while his hips moved against her. "You just need to let me fuck you more," he said as he increased the power of his thrusts.

  “Yes, please,” she groaned.

  "Say it again," Gabe growled.

  “Yes, please. Please. Please. Please.”

  “Please, what?”

  “Please fuck me. Harder. Harder. Harder.”

  The thrusting took her breath away, allowing one word to escape each time his cock went deep.

  “Fuck!” he growled. “You’re gonna make me come. You want it deep?”

  “Come deep! Fuck me deep!” she ordered.

  He held back as much as he could, allowing Charlotte to lose herself to climax twice before he released inside her. She had never felt such intense throbs from a shaft before which probably meant he had glorious veins at work. The very thought caused a tingle in her fangs again. Charlotte set her mind to work visualizing bodies bobbing in the East River during the "Spring Thaw" and that seemed to quell the tingling almost instantly. What am I going to do if I can’t look at his cock?

  “Okay,” he said, collapsing next to her. “I want to know more of these secrets.”

  “Geez. You’re like a post-coital interrogator.”

  “I just want to know more about my mate. Is that wrong?”

  “Mate? Are we mates? Is our timeline in dog years?”

  “Interesting choice of words,” he mumbled. “I have a secret too.” He sat up and propped himself up with his arms behind him, which left his enormous cock glistening through the unzipped opening of his pants. Charlotte caught a peak and slowly swiveled her head in case her fangs tried to escape again.

  "What if we just count to three and blurt them out?" she said with her back to him.

  He hesitated for a moment before mumbling an agreement.