Heroes Among Us: A Paranormal Romance Collection

by Ditter Kellen

  The sounds of running had faded along with the distant howls echoing through the night.

  Ethan stared down at the dead wolf lying before him. He would have to send Billy in to remove the animal before it began to rot and drew unwanted attention.

  The last thing Ethan needed was to have a dead wolf discovered that close to the city. He could imagine the backlash that would cause.

  Turning back toward the Blue Sapphire, Ethan thought about Piper and the danger she was in by being seen with him.

  He either needed to leave her alone, or take out the entire Foster clan. And he damn sure didn’t want to leave her.

  Ethan waited in the shadows for two giggling females to round the building and get into a car.

  Waiting another few minutes for them to back out of the parking lot, Ethan shifted and strode back to his own vehicle to grab his clothes.

  He dressed in record time, slipped on his shoes, and hurried back inside, only to find his table empty and Piper’s scent barely detectable.

  Ethan returned to the parking lot, his gaze touching on the empty parking space where Piper’s car had sat not thirty minutes before. “Damn.”

  Jerking his cell phone from his pants pocket, Ethan dialed Billy’s number.

  “Yeah, boss.”

  “There’s a dead shifter in the woods behind the Blue Sapphire, just east of Piney Point. I need you to get rid of him.”

  A brief pause ensued. “One of Foster’s?”

  “He reeked of the Kenwood pack,” Ethan murmured, climbing back in his car. “I’m sure Foster sent him. There was more than one, but I doubt the other fared any better than the one I ran down.”

  Billy made a satisfied sound in his throat. “Your pack?”

  “Yeah. I was fortunate that a few were nearby, else one of the intruders might have escaped.”

  “Where are you now, boss?”

  Ethan climbed behind the wheel of his car. “I’m heading out to Piper’s to make sure she made it home all right, and then I’ll be at the penthouse. Call me if you run into trouble.”

  “Will do,” Billy assured him, disconnecting the call.

  Pulling out of the parking lot, Ethan drove toward the address he had for Piper.

  Ten minutes later, he arrived in front of a charming two-story house surrounded by live oaks and a white picket fence. Her car sat in the drive.

  He pulled up along the curb, watching for signs of movement through the dimly lit windows.

  A light came on in what Ethan assumed was an upstairs bedroom.

  Piper’s silhouette drifted past the window several times before the room was plunged into darkness.

  Rolling down his window, Ethan deeply inhaled, expanding his senses to the surrounding streets. But no signs of shifters could be detected nearby.

  Since moving to Florida and learning of the feud between the Kenwood and the Sorrento packs, Ethan had never dated a woman for more than one night. Not that he’d been interested enough in any of them to take things further, but a few had been pleasant to be around.

  For Ethan to show interest in another put them on the Foster’s radar, which was something he’d never been willing to do.

  But Piper…ah, Piper was another story.

  Chapter Ten

  Piper undressed with jerky movements, tossing her clothes over the back of a nearby chair.

  Ethan had left her at the Blue Sapphire.

  She brushed her teeth and meandered back downstairs for a bottled water.

  Angry and more than a little hurt by his actions, Piper grabbed a bottled water from the fridge and trailed off through the living room to the front door.

  She stepped out onto the porch and took a seat in one of the white wicker chairs her mother had gotten her.

  It wasn’t as if Ethan Seaborn had promised her anything, nor had she expected more from him than dinner and a few drinks. But to leave her at the bar as if she were a common hood rat was unacceptable to her.

  She wondered if the call he’d made had been to a girlfriend he’d neglected to tell her about.

  The more Piper thought about his actions, the angrier she became.

  A car door opened across the street, pulling Piper out of her angry contemplation.

  She looked up, squinting against the porch light to see a man crossing the street and heading her way.

  Piper stood and turned to go inside.

  “Piper, wait!”

  She would know that deep voice anywhere.

  With her hand still on the doorknob, Piper stiffened, listening to Ethan’s approach. She spoke with her back to him. “What do you want?”

  “To apologize,” he rasped, stopping directly behind her.

  Swallowing the need to turn into his arms, Piper straightened her shoulders. “There’s nothing to apologize for, Mr. Seaborn. Now, if you’ll excuse me, it’s rather late.”

  “Piper…”

  Without answering, Piper opened the door, stepped inside, and locked it behind her.

  She didn’t stop until she reached her bedroom. The sound of an engine roaring to life told her he’d taken the hint and left.

  No matter how gorgeous the man was, there was no way in hell Piper would allow herself to be treated so callously. She deserved better. Much better.

  Climbing into bed, Piper turned on her side, reliving the night’s events in torturous detail.

  The feel of Ethan’s lips on hers. The taste of his tongue. The deep growl in his throat when she’d kissed him back. His scent. The sexy roll of his hips on the dance floor.

  “Ugh,” she muttered into the darkness, pulling a pillow over her head. If she didn’t push him from her mind and soon, she’d find herself running down the street after him.

  * * * *

  The next morning, Piper showered and ate a light breakfast before trailing into her downstairs office.

  She booted up her computer, sipping on a lukewarm cup of coffee.

  After taking a couple of pain relievers for her head, she went to work on the latest design she’d been toying with for the past two months.

  The doorbell rang, setting her teeth on edge. She really didn’t feel up to dealing with anyone today.

  Piper blew out a breath and left her office to answer the door.

  “Piper Hollister?” a male voice inquired from behind a bouquet of blood-red roses.

  “Yes, I’m Piper.”

  The man handed her the roses and then held up a finger. “One second, ma’am. There’s more.”

  Dumbfounded, Piper accepted the roses, setting them on the end table next to the couch.

  He quickly returned holding a dozen more roses in each hand. He thrust them at her. “Have a nice day, ma’am.”

  Piper sent him a weak smile while juggling the beautiful glass vases. “Thank you.”

  Shutting the door, she placed the flowers on the coffee table and plucked a card from one of them.

  Please accept my apology. Sincerely, Ethan.

  Taking an uneven breath, she laid the card down and moved to the next one. Allow me to make it up to you? Ethan.

  Finding his persistence a little endearing, she pulled the last card free and read it aloud. “Have dinner with me, tonight. I’ll have my driver pick you up at six.”

  Lifting an eyebrow, she tossed the card onto the table next to the other one. “A little presumptuous, are we?”

  Though she wanted to stay angry at him, Piper decided perhaps she would give him a second chance. She could at least hear him out. Maybe he had a good reason for running out on her the way he had. At least he’d better have one.

  Piper’s day went by in a blur of patterns and curse words. She couldn’t seem to concentrate on work with Ethan Seaborn occupying her every thought.

  Pushing away from the insufferable design, Piper left her office only to find herself standing in front of her closet, attempting to decide what to wear for dinner with Ethan.

  She blew out a defeated breath, grabbed a pale green silk top and
a short brown tweed skirt, and laid them carefully across the foot of her bed.

  After her shower, she blew her hair dry, applied a small amount of makeup, and donned her favorite jewelry.

  By the time she’d dressed and stepped into her shoes, it was nearly six o’clock.

  The doorbell suddenly rang.

  Piper grabbed her small gold tote, switched off the light, and breezed down the stairs to answer the door.

  “Are we ready?” a short, older man with intelligent eyes inquired.

  With a nod, Piper locked the door, pulled it shut behind her, and strode toward the black limo waiting next to the curb.

  The driver followed, rushing ahead to open her car door.

  Piper thanked him and sat back in her seat.

  Her stomach was in knots. From anticipation or fear, she wasn’t sure.

  She did want to see him again. Really, what woman wouldn’t? But the thought of his blatant disregard for her feelings the night before still stuck in her craw.

  If she were smart, she’d demand the driver take her home. Something about Ethan Seaborn threatened more than just her pride. He threatened her heart.

  Piper had never been in love before. She’d had plenty of dates, and even a couple of relationships, but nothing she’d considered for long term.

  But something about Ethan tied her stomach in knots, affected her common sense. She found it hard to breathe when in his presence. Piper had never experienced lust on such a level before.

  The driver didn’t speak on the short ride to Ethan’s place, and Piper wasn’t sure if she should either. God forbid she blurt out something insane like, How many other women have you picked up for His Majesty in the past?

  “We are here,” the driver informed her, stopping the limo in front of a high rise on Lake Eola in downtown Orlando.

  He jumped out, rushed around the car to the back passenger side door, and helped her out. “Right this way, ma’am.”

  Piper followed close behind the short driver and entered the building with as much grace as her jittery stomach would allow. It had to be the most incredible structure Piper had ever been in.

  Stepping into the elevator, she watched as the driver slid a keycard into the slot beneath the keypad, and pressed the number thirty-five. He then stepped back and clasped his hands behind his back.

  “Mr. Seaborn lives in the penthouse,” Piper murmured more to herself than the driver.

  “Yes, ma’am, he does.”

  The elevator took off smoothly before coming to a subtle stop and sliding open with a ding.

  “Right this way, ma’am.”

  Piper stepped off the elevator into a bright white foyer. The massive room in front of her was lined with windows showing off the view of the lake.

  Lights flickered to life in the distance, signaling the impending darkness.

  A cream-colored sofa sat in the center of the room, flanked by a loveseat boasting the same pale color.

  Across the room to the left sat a grand piano situated next to a large fireplace.

  “Piper.”

  Ethan’s deep, masculine voice penetrated her starstruck mind. She’d been so busy admiring the view, she hadn’t heard him approach.

  He took hold of both her hands and brought them to his lips.

  With a gentle squeeze, he brushed a kiss across her knuckles. “I’m so happy you came.”

  Flustered, Piper pulled her hands free. “Yes, well. I wasn’t sure if I would come or not. But I thought I’d at least give you the chance to explain yourself.”

  The corner of his mouth lifted. “That’s one of the things I like most about you. Your straightforwardness.”

  He took hold of her elbow. “I hope you’re hungry.”

  His incredible scent reached Piper, weakening her defenses. “You’re in luck. I skipped lunch.”

  Another smile touched his lips. “A woman after my own heart. I love to eat.”

  Piper found herself returning his smile. “As do I.”

  “Dinner will be ready in a few minutes,” Ethan murmured, sliding his hand down her forearm to take hold of her palm. “Would you like a drink?”

  Piper nodded. “A white wine would be great. But what I’d really like is a tour.”

  Signaling to a small dark-haired woman, who suddenly appeared in the room, Ethan asked for two glasses of white wine, and then turned down a wide, intricate hallway.

  A narrow table sat at the end, holding a beautiful stature of partially nude woman.

  Hung along the walls were various art pieces that probably cost more than Piper’s entire house.

  But it was the half-boy, half-wolf painting that drew her eye the most. “Wow. Who painted this?”

  Something flickered in Ethan’s whiskey-colored eyes. “My mother.”

  Stopping before the incredible painting, Piper studied the details, the artistic strokes, the eerie light burning in the wolf’s eyes to match the same light shining from the child’s.

  “She was incredibly talented,” Piper breathed in awe. “A boy with the soul of a wolf. It’s beautiful.”

  Chapter Eleven

  Ethan’s heart turned over at Piper’s words. She’d seen exactly what his mother had depicted in the painting.

  If Piper only knew that it was Ethan and his wolf in that painting, she’d probably run screaming from the building and never look back.

  Giving her hand a slight tug, Ethan nodded to a room off to his right. “This is my study.”

  Piper entered the room and ran her fingertips along the hundreds of books that lined the wall. “Wow. This is amazing. I could fit three of my offices in this space.”

  The tour went on for the next fifteen minutes with Ethan glued to Piper’s every expression.

  “What’s up there?” Piper nodded toward the staircase.

  Instead of answering, Ethan guided her toward the stairs, holding tightly to her hand as she stepped onto the bottom step.

  At the top, Ethan stopped before his bedroom door, gripped the knob, and pushed it wide.

  Piper’s mouth opened on a silent gasp.

  Ethan couldn’t take his gaze from Piper’s face as she stepped into his room and took in its contents.

  “Your bed is on a dais,” she pointed out, her eyes round with admiration. “And I love the onyx tile beneath the white rug.”

  “This is my favorite place.” Ethan nudged her forward to the glass doors and slid them open.

  He watched as she stepped onto the large balcony and took in the scene in front of her.

  “It’s absolutely breathtaking. I love how the lights sparkle on the surface of the water.”

  Ethan liked it too. But not as much he loved looking at Piper’s enchanting face.

  She released his hand and slowly moved to the railing of the balcony. “I’ll have a view like this one day.”

  Moving to stand next to her, Ethan peered down at her profile. “I hope I’m able to help make that happen.”

  Piper glanced up at him before returning her attention to the scenery. “No. I’ve decided to go with Calibri’s.”

  More than a little surprised by her statement, Ethan rested his finger beneath her chin and brought her gaze back to him. “You’re turning down my offer?”

  “I am.”

  “If it’s not enough money, I—”

  “It’s not about the money,” Piper interrupted, effectively cutting off his argument. “It’s about us.”

  Ethan stilled, waiting for her to elaborate.

  “I enjoy your company, Ethan. If I’m going to do business with you, I can no longer see you on a personal level.”

  “Does that mean you want to see me?”

  She blushed a little, turning her face away in an obvious attempt to hide that fact. Which only endeared her to him even more.

  “I’m here, aren’t I?”

  Ethan’s cock stirred to life once more. Damn her for being so honest. Yet, he loved that quality in her. “That you are. Shall we eat?”
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  He rested his palm against the small of her back and ushered her through his room and back down the stairs.

  Dinner consisted of roasted duck, new potatoes, a variety of vegetables, and a chocolate soufflé.

  Ethan couldn’t remember ever having enjoyed dinner as much as he did that night. The food was cooked to perfection, the wine one of his favorites, but the company, ah, the company was the best.

  Piper’s beauty and confident demeanor literally stole his breath. He wanted to leap from his chair and devour her.

  She obviously had no idea what kind of power she wielded with those pale green eyes of hers.

  He picked up his glass of wine. “Were you serious about not accepting my offer?”

  She shrugged a silk-covered shoulder. “That all depends on what you tell me happened to you last night.”

  Another rush of blood surged to his cock. He wanted to kiss that challenging tone from her lips. To remove the rebellion from her eyes.

  Ethan wanted to dominate her, he realized, shifting in his seat to relieve the throbbing of his erection. Bending her to his will would prove to be a challenge, but he was damn sure up for it.

  Taking a sip of his wine, Ethan met her challenging gaze. “I deal with a lot of shady characters in my business. Men that have much to lose and no moral compass. Remember what I said after our kiss next to your car?”

  “You said we were being watched.”

  Taking a deep breath, he continued. “I was followed from the restaurant to the Blue Sapphire. I went outside to confront the man following me, only he wasn’t alone. I trailed him through the woods for a while before giving up and returning to the bar.”

  “To find me gone,” Piper finished for him.

  With a nod, he took another drink. He hated lying to her, but left with no choice, that’s exactly what he did. “I’m sorry, Piper.”

  Her defiant gaze softened. “No, I’m the one who should be sorry. You even came to my home, and I shut you out.”

  “You have nothing to apologize for,” Ethan insisted. “Had the shoe been on the other foot, I would have reacted just as you did.”

  Time flew by as Ethan sat, listening to Piper talk of her childhood, her friend Rhonda, and her love of fashion. He felt as if he could sit there all night, gazing into her exotic eyes.