Capturing Shadow [Cowboys and Werewolves 2] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour)
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Cowboys and Werewolves 2
Capturing Shadow
Shadow Foster’s life hasn’t worked out the way she planned. Desperate to escape the shadow of her twin sister Silence, she rustles with the idea of leaving the protection of her lycan pack.
Gavin Ford, a local lawman, won’t give up on the woman who has captured his heart and turned his life upside down. Shadow is all he desires, and he’ll stop at nothing to convince her that she belongs with him. Until Julian, a Fae prince, shows up to profess his love for her and expose a secret from her past.
An evil Demon Fae lurks in the darkness of Julian’s world, threatening to destroy both his world and Earth. Shadow holds the power of Fae magic, and the demon will stop at nothing to take back what is rightfully his.
Can Shadow put aside her selfish needs and allow Gavin and Julian a chance to love and protect her before the evil crushes everything they hold dear?
Genre: Contemporary, Fantasy, Ménage a Trois/Quatre, Paranormal, Vampires/Werewolves, Western/Cowboys
Length: 52,636 words
CAPTURING SHADOW
Cowboys and Werewolves 2
Morgan Fox
MENAGE AMOUR
Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com
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A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK
IMPRINT: Ménage Amour
CAPTURING SHADOW
Copyright © 2013 by Morgan Fox
E-book ISBN: 978-1-62740-450-1
First E-book Publication: September 2013
Cover design by Harris Channing
All cover art and logo copyright © 2013 by Siren Publishing, Inc.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission.
All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.
PUBLISHER
Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com
Letter to Readers
Dear Readers,
If you have purchased this copy of Capturing Shadow by Morgan Fox from BookStrand.com or its official distributors, thank you. Also, thank you for not sharing your copy of this book.
Regarding E-book Piracy
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This is Morgan Fox’s livelihood. It’s fair and simple. Please respect Ms. Fox’s right to earn a living from her work.
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www.SirenPublishing.com
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DEDICATION
Eric, thank you for all your love and support and the hours of babysitting to make sure I hit my deadlines. I couldn’t do any of this without you in my life.
Lydia Mazza, thank you for being my person, the one I count on to be my cheerleader, my sounding board, my critique partner and my shoulder to cry on. You are an amazing person and a wonderful friend.
To my readers and friends, you mean more to me than you will ever know. Thank you for everything.
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
About the Author
CAPTURING SHADOW
Cowboys and Werewolves 2
MORGAN FOX
Copyright © 2013
Chapter 1
The French doors burst open and the room filled with fierce gusts of wind and flying debris. Dr. Shadow Foster rushed to close the flailing doors, her feet crunching down on the leaves that blew in. The storm outside had become so ferocious over the last hour that she’d wondered if leaving the safety of her clinic had been a good idea.
Probably not.
She wrapped her shawl tighter around her shoulders. Autumn had arrived with a fury in the small town of Silent Falls, leaving its occupants to either flee for cover or grin and bear the unpredictable Texas weather. As the saying went, if you didn’t like the weather in Texas, just wait ten minutes. Or was it five? She couldn’t remember.
Twirling her fingers around the fringe of her shawl, she wished that the storm wreaking havoc outside was only going to last another ten minutes. Unfortunately, a lovely end of the season hurricane was making its way up through the Gulf of Mexico and tracking right up through Shadow Meadows, the adjoining town to Silent Falls.
Shadow preferred to live in the Meadows. Mainly because it was a little further away from all the Silent Falls bullshit. Her identical twin sister, Silence, was the town sheriff and everyone already knew too much about her family business.
Shadow peeked around the curtain, looking out into the wailing storm. A thunderous boom rattled the house, making her cringe as a flash of lightning lit the once blackened sky. The power flickered twice and then everything went black.
As a lycan, her vision was remarkable in the dark. She only wished she’d thought ahead about the likelihood that the power would go out. She would have grabbed the necessary candles and matches to give the house a less eerie and cold feel.
A startling banging at the front door had her immediately on edge. Standing alone in the dark with a terrifying storm whipping around outside did not offer an ounce of comfort. Lycan or not, she didn’t appreciate surprise visits.
She tiptoed toward the front door and prayed that it wasn’t the boogeyman come to call. Not that she believed in those kinds of things, but living in a supernaturally infested world did open her eyes to the possibilities.
Shadow inhaled deeply and caught the lycan’s scent and didn’t know if she should be happy or pissed that he’d come to check on her. She grabbed the doorknob and yanked it open. The moment
the door was ajar, Gavin Ford stalked into her home, shaking off the cold and rain that had pelted him.
She raked him with her gaze and swallowed the rush of excitement that had her throat tightening. Groaning, she hated that he affected her so intensely. “What are you doing here, Gavin?”
Removing his tan Stetson and saturated raincoat, Gavin placed both on the rack next to the front door. He seemed to brush off her irritated tone. She was always snapping at him and she didn’t really understand why.
He glared at her angrily. “I’ve come to check on you. You never should’ve left the clinic, Shadow.” He jabbed his finger in the air toward the front window. “This storm is only going to get worse.”
Even though there was a part of her that was glad to see him, she still wanted to wring his neck for always telling her what she should and shouldn’t do. Silence did the same thing to her.
No wonder I’m such a bitch to them.
Ignoring that he was following her into the kitchen, she said from over her shoulder, “Then you should’ve stayed in the clinic where it’s clearly safer.”
He grabbed her arm, spinning her around so fast she bumped into the hard ridge of his chest. He wrapped his arms around her, caging her in. His eyes were filled with wild fury. Her heart pounded. “No, you should’ve stayed where I could’ve made sure you were safe instead of traipsing through this godforsaken storm like some deranged person. You could’ve been swept away by floodwater and no one would’ve known what happened to you.” He gazed down at her lips. “Damn it, Shadow, you know better.”
She swallowed hard, as the warmth of his touch blasted through her like a raging fire, engulfing her. The attraction she’d felt for Gavin was indescribable, something she tried her best to avoid. But when he stood so close, felt so good, it was nearly impossible to do. For a heated moment, they simple stared at one another, not moving or speaking, just allowing the wild connection to wash over them.
Reality struck with the sound of heavy thunder, making Shadow jump nearly out of her skin. Gavin rubbed her arms up and down to warm the chill from her bones.
He cleared his throat. “Let me start a fire?”
Shadow nodded and pulled free of his hold, feeling an instant quiver in her belly. She grabbed the lighter from the kitchen drawer and handed it to him. He took it and immediately went to the fireplace. Thank God she’d already had logs brought in before it rained.
See, I’m not completely helpless.
Within a few short minutes, Gavin had a nice roaring fire warming and lighting up the room. He was a regular Boy Scout. She placed a bottle of wine and two glasses on the coffee table beside him. A moment later, she returned with some cheese and fruit.
“I don’t have much in the house, but this should make do for now,” she told him, sitting on the floor and propping up against the sofa to warm herself by the fire.
Gavin grabbed a blanket off the back of the chair and covered her with it. Then he poured two glasses of wine and handed her one. Her pulse quickened as Gavin’s six-foot-six body slid in beside hers. His long, muscular legs stretched out across the floor.
In all the years she’d known him never had she really noticed his size. With her heels on, she was at least five-ten. But sitting next to him, shadowed in the warmth of his body, she had to admit that his stature and strength was something amazing.
He leaned across her to grab his glass of wine. She breathed in his heady fragrance, capturing his warm spice and fresh rain scent. The wild aroma had her toes curling and her hands itching to reach out to touch him.
Oh, dear God, what’s happening to me?
She took a big sip of her wine the second he began to move back into position beside her. Closing her eyes briefly, she couldn’t believe she was reacting like a girl suffering with her first crush. She’d always avoided moments like this with Gavin. Now she realized why.
He’s a temptation I can’t afford.
“So why were you in such a rush to leave the clinic?” Gavin’s deep voice hauled her right out of her sexually driven thoughts.
Stammering a bit, she said, “I had things to lock down here.”
He glanced around the room, obviously taking note of the windows that weren’t boarded up and lack of emergency supplies. She bit the inside of her mouth.
“You couldn’t have called a neighbor?”
She arched a brow and glared at him askance. Scoffing, she snapped, “Did you see any neighbors as you drove here?” She dug her fingernails into the palm of her hand. Her defensive mode had kicked in once again. “As you may have noticed, my home is pretty secluded. My closest neighbor is a few miles in either direction and I do my best to avoid them.”
Like I do with you…
“So it’s not just me?” he asked, taking another sip of his wine.
Had he heard her thoughts? She sucked in a sharp breath, her chest tightening.
“Do you think living out here is wise for a woman alone?” He sounded like an overprotective parent.
Sighing, she rolled her eyes. “I can appreciate your concern, but I don’t need you or anyone else guarding me like I’m some sniveling little girl.”
With an angry glare, he arched a brow. “No, I suppose you’re not, but then again you don’t exactly make it easy for me not to worry about you.”
She frowned. “I never asked you to worry about me.”
“That’s just it, Shadow, you never have to ask.”
His lips pressed together in a tight line and for a brief moment he looked as though he was going to throttle her. The intensity of his expression had her gut and heart twisting and flipping in unison. Gavin’s eyes flickered with a hint of silver and she knew he was fighting to keep his wolf contained.
“You don’t get it, do you?” His jaw flexed with tension as if chewing on the words. “You damn well know I don’t have a choice where you’re concerned.” His blistering gaze locked onto hers. Every nerve ending inside her exploded as the heat of his body blanketed her. “I’ve tried my best to let you have your way, to pretend there’s nothing between us but friendship.” He dropped his empty glass onto the floor. His powerful hand wrapped around the back of her neck, while his other hand cupped the other side of her face. Piercing brown eyes with specs of gold and silver stared at her. His passion-filled gaze practically set fire to her soul. “I won’t do it anymore. I can’t.”
So much longing lingered in his eyes. The wild pounding of her heart revealed her own fated desires. With his lycan senses, surely he could hear just what his closeness was doing to her. The warmth of his touch, the spice of his scent filling her nose, the passion in his stare, everything he was at that moment she wanted.
Breathless with desires, she wrapped her fingers around his wrist. The connection shredded any resolve she had left.
“Gavin?” she whispered.
Her heart and mind may have been at war, but it was the fevered need she felt pouring out of him and flowing into her that she recognized as purely primal. Accepting the fiery connection with Gavin was what her wolf craved.
His eyes widened, devouring her. Slowly, he leaned in and when she didn’t pull away, he crushed against her, drawing her deeper into the protective circle of his arms, kissing her thoroughly.
She erupted as the power of his touch flooded her system. Blood raging to a boil in her veins, she wrapped her arms around him as he leaned her back onto the floor. Positioning himself between her legs, his massive body covered hers, shielding her from the world around them.
With Gavin, she had an overwhelming sense of peace, like for the first time she was doing something she was meant to do. Suddenly, both her body and mind were no longer arguing over her confused emotions.
He took possession of her, placing her arms above her head with one hand and caressing her body with the other. She melted against his kiss. Cupping her breast, he gently massaged the mound in slow, tantalizing circles. Her nipples hardened as his touch lingered over the sensitive tip.
Gavin kissed her hard, tongues and teeth scraping against one another. Her heart raced as his fingers went to work on the buttons of her blouse. Opening only the top few, he parted the material to expose her breasts. The warm press of his lips on her skin had her entire body erupting in flames. She gasped as his moist tongue glided over her tingling flesh.
His wicked mouth clamped down on her covered nipple. Gently he tugged at the material until her breasts popped free and then he feasted like a starved animal, sucking and licking at her exposed mounds. She ran her fingers through his soft hair, holding him against her. Her pussy throbbed as he rubbed his erection between her legs.
The very real sensation of Gavin’s body pinning her down, his obvious arousal resting between her legs, and the awakening desires firing inside her had her squeezing her eyes shut. Panic rippled in her belly and quickly spread throughout her body. She quivered and her breathing labored.
He pulled back, gazing down at her with concern. “What’s wrong?”
She shook her head, swallowing the jitters that consumed her, and put on a brave face. She didn’t want to let her fears of the unknown keep her from experiencing sex with Gavin. Facing another celibate year, pretending she was happy about it, well that wasn’t working for her anymore.
Besides, this might be my only time with Gavin. Tomorrow I’m likely to remember that I’m leaving soon.
She reached up and stroked his cheek. The coarse whiskers on his face scraped gently against the skin of her fingers, sending a wicked shiver racing down each vertebra of her spine.
“Love me, Gavin.”