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

by J. K Harper

  “How could we not?” Jai asked. “Your invitation brought us here.”

  “We never gave up finding you,” Duke said as he joined them.

  The guards took a statement from her, Jai, and Duke before leaving with the imbeciles who tried to harm her mates. Carmen, her sisters, the Mistress of Water, and the Mistress of Earth came out to check on her.

  Carmen hugged her tight. “I turn my back for one minute, and you almost die on me.”

  “I’m fine,” Sherri said.

  “Our witch is more than fine,” Jai said.

  “She’s pretty good at ass-kicking, too,” Duke added.

  Carmen laughed. “I could have told you that. She is an adopted Brixton.” She turned to Sherri. “I’m guessing these are the men you told me about?”

  Sherri smiled. “My mates.” Saying it made it final somehow, and her heart filled up with too many emotions to name. She had time to discover each of them now that her men were back with her. They were hers all right, and she hoped to never be away from them again.

  Chapter 8

  The walk to her hotel room was a long one. Why did the resort have to be so damn big? It was the length of a theme park. Sherri envied Carmen’s ability to transport with her mated warlocks, but she couldn’t complain.

  Sherri’s body thrummed with magic and power, and she knew it wasn’t just her who experienced it. Although she didn’t have warlocks for mates, she still found two men who were magical and powerful enough for her.

  That reminded her of something. “Duke?” she asked. “What kind of shifter are you?”

  A hearty laugh poured out of him. “You don’t know?” he asked.

  “No, and it’s been bothering me ever since our night together.” Both men walked beside her, their arms holding hers as they made their way through the resort and to her room.

  “I’m a dragon, baby,” he said.

  A vampire and a dragon. She still couldn’t wrap her head around that. If it was possible for witches to mate with other paranormals now that meant the mating possibilities were limitless. She wondered if it was just the magical community in Kala West who it impacted. She filed that research away for another time.

  “I can work with that,” she said.

  “No choice in the matter now,” Duke said. “You’re never getting rid of me.”

  They were still walking in the direction of the elevators, but Duke didn’t wait long before he swept her up into his arms.

  “What are you doing?” she asked.

  “I’m carrying our woman up to her room,” he said.

  “I can walk just fine,” she said.

  “It’s not a matter of your walking ability, lovely,” Jai said. “It’s a matter of us holding on to you and never letting you out of our sight again.”

  “Never?” she asked.

  “Do you want us to chain you to the bed and prove it to you?” Jai’s tone was serious, but the lust in his eyes was enough to make her melt.

  “Surprisingly,” she teased, “that sounds like a good idea.”

  A grumble left Duke’s chest and vibrated into her, and she thought she heard a growl from Jai. Both sounds made her core tighten and her pussy slick.

  “I’ll have to remember that,” Jai said. His voice deepened and made her glad she was being carried, or she would have fallen out right there.

  Sherri thanked the goddess that they didn’t have to wait for the elevator. Her men must’ve had the same thought, because they had her down and up against the wall of the elevator as soon as the doors closed. Each man held her arms up above her head, holding her in place as they kissed her lips, her face, and her neck.

  She couldn’t move, and she wanted to touch both of them, but they wouldn’t let her. Being so close to them had her filled with lust and wanting more.

  Before she knew it, Duke had one hand inside her dress, massaging her breast, while Jai delicately lifted up her skirt.

  It was hard to choose a man to focus on. The sensations they gave her were mind-blowing and all-consuming. With each touch, her magic rose to another level, pushing her through a barrier she didn’t even know existed.

  As Jai’s hand made contact with her covered pussy, she nearly lost it. To make her squirming worse, he slipped his hand inside her panties and pressed against her mound.

  “Oh, goddess. Please!” she cried.

  Jai kissed her cheek, an act that seemed ever more sensual with what he was doing to her under her dress. “Please what, my beautiful? Tell us what you want.”

  “I want … to come. Please let me.”

  “How can we say no to that?” Jai asked.

  “Well, we could,” Duke teased, “but I really love making her come.”

  “She has to wait though,” Jai said with a grin that could seduce a dead woman back to life.

  “Why?” she begged.

  Both men moved back and away from her, and she wasn’t ready for the distance. When the elevator bell rang, she realized they must have known someone else was getting on with them.

  “Shit!” she said as the doors open.

  A middle-aged couple looked at her right as she cursed.

  “Sorry,” she said to them.

  The man gave them a sturdy glare, but the woman smiled brightly as they got on.

  She thought walking to the elevator was long. Having people in there with them was an absolute nightmare.

  Sherri felt a hand squeeze her ass, while another one played with her hand and drew circles around her palm.

  Were her men trying to kill her? There was only so much a witch could take. She had a mind to just jump them in front of a couple. Etiquette, be damned. She was horny and needed release soon, or she was going to explode.

  She could even feel the wetness dripping down her legs, which caused her thighs to squeeze tight. The bell finally rang for their floor.

  “Excuse us,” Jai said, causing the couple to move over. This time, he was the one to scoop her up and carry her off the elevator.

  “Have fun, dear!” the woman said right before the door closed. “At least one of us will.”

  Sherri giggled but was still mortified. Were they that obvious?

  Fuck it, because she was going to be doing that soon. Very soon.

  “Which room?” Duke demanded.

  “Room 1620,” she said. She’d never seen men move so fast in her life, and she was grateful for their speed.

  Duke used her key card with ease, and they entered her suite just as quickly and soon found her bedroom.

  “Wait a minute,” she said. “Don’t do anything.”

  “You don’t want us now?” Duke asked.

  “Far from it.” Sherri wiggled her way down from Duke’s arms until her feet hit the ground. “Last time was fun and all, but I’d be a crazy witch in heat to let you tear or burn this beautiful dress off of me.” She tried to unzip the back, but couldn’t reach it.

  Jai did the honors of unzipping it for her, and he did it slowly, to the point of torture.

  “I said be careful with the dress. Not treat me like an ancient artifact.”

  She didn’t expect Jai to kiss her on her bare and exposed back. His cool kiss sent pleasurable shivers down her spine.

  Duke eased her dress down until she stepped out of it, revealing a white bra, matching panties, a garter, and stockings. This time she didn’t feel shy or ashamed in front of them. Instead, she felt like a sexy goddess in front of her masculine consorts.

  Duke’s eyes moved over her breasts, and he smiled. “I never thought I’d see those gorgeous babies again.” His hand cupped her breasts, and she leaned into him.

  She couldn’t suppress a laugh at the way he admired them. “Now, you’ll never be without them again, my dragon.”

  A rumble left his chest and traveled straight to her pussy, making her wet and needy for her men.

  “I like the sound of that, witch,” Duke said.

  Her attention went back to her vampire after he ripped her bra o
pen.

  His wicked grin woke up dark desires only he could stir to life. “You said nothing about saving this undergarment of yours,” Jai said.

  “No, I didn’t. I’ll be sure to be more specific next time, my naughty vampire.”

  “Oh, I can be more than naughty,” he said. “I can’t wait to show you how much.” Instead of ripping her underwear off, he slid them off her legs slowly, letting his fingers graze her skin. Next he unhooked her garter and stockings at a maddening pace.”

  “Jai,” Duke said, “If you go any slower, we’ll be dead before we can take her, or at least I will be.”

  Sherri stared down at Jai, and he winked back at her.

  “Duke’s right,” she said. “I’ve never been one for patience.”

  “Another thing I’m going to love teaching you,” Jai said. “All I know is patience.” When he finally had her naked, he lifted her up and laid her on the bed as if she weighed nothing. He moved slow and methodically to the head of the bed with her stockings in his hands. “I think now is a good time to start a lesson.” He tied one of her hands against the bedpost and moved to the other side to tie that one down as well.

  “How patient do I have to be exactly?” she asked.

  “Depends on how far you want to go, beautiful witch.” He stretched out next to her. “Since I had the pleasure of sampling how sweet you are, why don’t we let Duke get his taste?”

  He kissed a spot behind her ear, a spot she didn’t even know was sensitive. “Yes,” she sighed.

  She stared into Duke’s eyes as he crawled into bed next to her.

  “Don’t go too fast,” Jai said. “We want her begging for us.”

  “Didn’t I just say I’m not patient either?” Duke said. “But begging sounds like it might be worth the wait.”

  “You two are going to drive me crazy,” she said. She tried to move, but Jai had made sure she had little to no wiggle room. Although her restraints didn’t hurt, they were going to annoy the hell out of her.

  Duke lifted her leg up and placed a kiss on her ankle. He moved up to her calf and then inside her thigh, making her moan. He was close enough to brush up against the spot where she wanted him to be, but then he moved back and started kissing her other ankle.

  Sherri turned to Jai. “I don’t think I can stand this much longer.”

  “You’re our witch,” he said. “You can do anything you want, and we’ll be here to guide your mind and body through all of it.” He possessed her mouth with a kiss, eliminating any doubt she had. His tongue played with hers, and she felt the sharp points of his canines as he teased her.

  She loved the way he said our witch in that deep voice, which made her melt from the inside out. She could listen to him all night, and she was happy to know they had numerous nights together ahead of them.

  As Jai kissed her, Duke finally moved up her other thigh.

  Duke stopped teasing her and met her pussy with a flick of his tongue that had her pulling her restraints even tighter. His mouth heated her to her core, as if he was made of pure heat. Instead of burning, it rocked her body as he ate at her like a luscious dessert. Only her men could keep her still as they nibbled her clit and sucked her sensitive breasts.

  She was grateful for the hold the restraints provided, as multiple orgasms forced out of her body. Warmth and the softness of the sheets beneath made her want to close her eyes and sleep, but she didn’t dare. She needed to feel her men inside her before she fell asleep in their arms. For the rest of her life, she never needed anything more than feeling them inside her. It had been too long, and she needed them to remind her of the pleasure only they could give her.

  “Are you ready for us, sexy witch?” Duke asked.

  “Aren’t you going to untie me first?” she asked, eyeing her bindings.

  “Where’s the fun in that?” Jai asked. He lifted her up as Duke slid underneath her. “Duke is going to take that tight ass of yours, while I enjoy your sweet pussy.”

  His words had her wet all over again, and they hadn’t even entered her yet.

  Her men lifted her hips as Duke positioned himself against her back entrance. With care, they worked at her tight opening until she was relaxed enough for him to ease gently into her.

  She leaned back against Duke as he embraced her. Jai took his time finding the right position to enter her from the front. Her breathing increased as he pushed through her slick entrance, ensuring she was completely filled by them both. That alone brought another orgasm ripping from her, and she cried out from the overwhelming pleasure they gave just by being inside her.

  When they finally developed a steady, sensual dance, she realized that she never knew the true meaning of insanity until then. True to its definition, they moved in and out of her over and over again, giving her the same orgasmic result.

  Her hands gripped her stocking restraints so tight that she felt the material dig into her palms. It didn’t give her nearly enough gripping power to steady herself for the wave that powered through her. With each movement, her spirit soared higher and higher until she flew into the magic that awaited her.

  “Jai,” she said, tears falling down her face. “Duke.” She didn’t recognize her own voice.

  “We’re here, our Sherri,” Jai said. “We won’t ever let you go.”

  The wave mingled with the soft aroma of earth and trees alongside the subtle hint of flames igniting their aroma through her body, into theirs, and back again. The floral and woodsy scent with the flame smelled like incense laced with heated lust.

  Sherri breathed it in until her lungs were so full that she thought she would explode with power.

  “Too much,” she sobbed. The magic took on a life of its own and wrapped through her like a living snake of power filling her entire essence with energy as it wove back and forth.

  “Come with us, Sherri,” Duke said.

  “Scream for us, love,” Jai added before biting her neck, giving her the last thrust into the sexual high that waited for her.

  As if by sheer command alone, she did as they bided her. She screamed through her orgasm, until her voice evaporated with the scented air. Every nerve ending of her body woke up as she came between her vampire and dragon.

  After Jai released her restraints, she slid over next to him and reached out for Duke. He took her hand and slid in behind her, making her feel safe and adored.

  Sherri thought her first time with them was something else. This time easily overshadowed their first time by a thousand.

  Nothing felt more right than being between the two men who would now be a part of her life forever. With that thought, a tickling sensation crawled over her inner thigh.

  “What’s happening?” she asked.

  Magic flowed through the room and into her. It rolled over the area that tickled.

  “What do you mean?” Duke asked.

  It was Jai who sat up to look at her leg. “That’s extraordinary.”

  “What is?” Duke moved up to see what Jai stared at in wonder.

  “Would you mind sharing with the person it’s happening to?” The odd sensation finally ceased.

  “It’s a tattoo,” Duke said.

  “More than that.” Jai traced the area, which made Sherri sit up.

  “What?”

  “It’s a merging of symbols.” Jai still roamed his fingers over her skin.

  Sherri remembered Carmen saying that when she finally bonded with her warlocks sexually, she had all three of their elements woven together.

  “But I thought that only happened when a witch and warlocks bonded in a Perfect Triad.”

  “Obviously not,” Duke said.

  She lifted her thigh up and saw what had her men so fascinated. The symbol was indeed a merging of more than one. She recognized the circle of her spirit symbol in her skin, but it wasn’t the only one there. Inside the circle were two animals: a small dragon and a similar-size bat.

  Jai grinned. “I’m not fond of bats, but it’s the animal associ
ated with vampires, which must be a representation of our bond. I think we all know who the dragon represents.”

  All three of them analyzed the symbol in wonder, and then something new stole their attention. A matching symbol appeared on Jai and Duke’s arms at the same moment.

  This time it was Sherri’s turn to see it up close, and she loved the way it looked on her men.

  “Holy goddess,” Sherri cried. “I think we’re officially mated.”

  Learning about their new triad would be a thrilling ride for her and her bonded mates. Sherri didn’t need magic to know that. What that meant for them was a wonder to behold. At least they had the rest of their lives to discover it together.

  Cursed Mate

  by Bella Love-Wins

  Author’s Note

  Cursed Mate and all of Bella Love-Wins’ shifter stories are set in a world which includes both natural born shifters, and shifters who are turned by a mystical immortal mystery woman named Theriona. The entire saga is called The Marked Chronicles. Be ready for sexy shifters of all varieties, witches, vampires, immortal beings and a lot of romantic hook-ups! For the most part, humans are not aware of their existence. Cursed Mate tells its own story and can be read on its own.

  Vincent

  I finished my feeding.

  The rich, sweet blood from her wrist still coated my lips and tongue.

  “Thank you for your service,” I told her, covering the wound where I bit her with a large, square adhesive bandage. Straightening my sport coat, I rose from the sofa. “I don’t need more tonight.”

  I stepped over to my office desk and turned on the reading lamp. Even at this distance, the scent of the gentry's blood still overpowered me, curling up into my nose, reminding me I was still hungry. This gentry was new. She was too weak. Draining her of any more blood could kill her. Still, the urge to feed was ever-present as I opened the side drawer and retrieved a wad of bills to pay her.

  “This is for you,” I said gently, and pressed the large fold of bills into the curvy, sweet smelling woman’s hand.