20 Shades of Shifters: A Paranormal Romance Collection

by Demelza Carlton

  She ignored the building need and stepped out of the cooling shower. Water splashed on the tile floor. She fumbled for her now silent phone that was in her pants pocket.

  She glanced at the number and grimaced.

  “Who is it?” Anonghos asked. The water turned off.

  “My brother.” She immediately redialed the number.

  “I thought it was work.”

  She glanced over his shoulder. God, he was magnificent. “If I don’t call him back, he’ll keep hounding me.”

  She reluctantly called Frank. He answered on one ring.

  “Are you all right? I heard you got shot.”

  She was surprised at the concern in his voice.

  “How did you find out?”

  “The hospital contacted Captain Morgan, and he called me.”

  “Well, I’m fine.”

  “How did you get shot? The officer said he was on the top floor.”

  Her stomach tightened. Like she did as her child, she thought quickly of a likable story. “The suspect ran out of Kathy’s apartment, and I chased him. He fired back.”

  “Why didn’t you call for back up?”

  “It happened too fast.”

  “According to Tom, not only are you relying on your mumbo-jumbo, but you’ve been letting a suspect cloud your judgment. You’re over your head, sis.”

  Agnes stiffened. “I know what I’m doing, Frank.”

  “Yeah, getting yourself killed. This is a serial killer, who’s liable to turn on you. I’m going to ask the captain to take you off the case.”

  “Frank, don’t you dare! I don’t need you hovering over me like an unwanted umbrella.”

  “You don’t have a choice. You never should have been a cop.”

  With that, he hung up. Her throat swelled up and heated tears formed in her eyes, blurring her vision. She stared at the phone, fighting not to smash it into a zillions of pieces.

  Anonghos put his hands on his shoulders. “Everything okay? You’re trembling.”

  She blinked her eyes, refusing to cry in front of him. She took a deep breath before answering. “No. My brother is trying to get me taken off the case.”

  He slowly turned her around. “Because you got shot.”

  She saw no reason to lie. “Yes and because of you and my abilities.”

  He ran the back of his hand down her cheek. “I’m sorry.”

  “Don’t be.” She braced her shoulders. “I can handle it.”

  He nuzzled her neck. “So tough. So brave. So alone.”

  Another wave of passion formed, but she stepped away, wishing she could lose herself with him. “I need to call the captain before Frank does.”

  Anonghos crowded her against the bathroom door, blocking off any escape. His warm breath tickled on her neck.

  She almost dropped the phone in her shaking hand. She quickly called the captain.

  “Morgan.”

  “Captain? It’s Malloy.”

  “I heard you got shot.”

  Bad news traveled fast. “I’m fine.”

  “You should have reported it,” he growled.

  “The bullet only grazed my temple. I need to be on this case, Captain.”

  “You’re losing your head over this one.”

  Anonghos kissed her neck, staring another wave of passion. She struggled to stay in control.

  “No, I’m not,” she gasped as Anonghos moved his hand down her belly toward her curls. “Frank wants me off the case.”

  Silence turned her passion cold.

  “You’re off the case when I say so. But don’t make me regret it. No more mistakes.”

  “Thank you, sir.”

  He hung up without another word.

  “See everything’s all right,” he said as he cupped the juncture between her legs.

  She slammed her head back as passion gripped her. Pain zipped through her skull.

  “Are you okay?”

  “I will be if you take me hard and fast.” She couldn’t shed the thought that the captain was holding something back, but she needed a distraction, needed to forget about her domineering brother.

  He grinned. “Okay, we’ll do it your way.”

  She parted her legs, and he thrust deep insider her, pounding hard, his amazing, ridged cock that wished her to a mile-high of ecstasy, erasing all thoughts of her brother, and creating a distraction that rocked the house.

  Chapter 12

  Daidhl flew over Annie Watkins, who drove her white SUV. He was invisible and a dragon. She never saw him standing outside her home, waiting for her to leave. He could have killed her inside her room like he had Sharon, but he lusted for more sensation––the terror of her scream, the fear rippling through her body, the life leaving her wide eyes.

  She parked her SUV in an elementary school’s empty parking lot. School wouldn’t start for another couple of hours. Good, he’d have some time to slice out her organs, saving a trophy for himself and sending another to the incompetent police force.

  A thick, white scarf wrapped around her slender neck that matched her coat, flickering in the wind. Her black hair was pulled back in a simple ponytail. She was so pure…so innocent…

  Landing directly behind her, he kept himself invisible and exhaled hard.

  As she spun, her green eyes searched the empty space, puzzled. After a moment, she pulled her coat tighter her and turned back toward the school. Pulling out a flat white card, she jogged toward the door.

  He transformed into a humanoid and quickly followed her.

  A lock clicked as she whisked the flat card over a small black box that was attached to the building. A lock clicked. She slipped inside with him right behind.

  She walked down the wall, and his footsteps echoed behind her.

  “Who’s there?” she demanded. Her eyes widened when she saw no one.

  “Hello, Annie.” He slowly appeared with a smile on his face.

  She screamed, ran down the tiled hallway, and past a dark office. She pulled out her key, her hand shaking, and stuck it in a lock. She opened the door and was about to step inside when he grabbed her scarf and yanked her against him.

  “Who…who are you?”

  “Your murderer.”

  Before she could scream, he slashed her throat deeply with a knife. She crumbled against him, blood gushing down her white coat, turning it into a beautiful crimson. She looked at him in terror as her life quickly bled out of her. A stream of blood ran from her throat and seeped under the door into her classroom.

  He spread her legs apart, ready to have his way with her corpse.

  “Annie?”

  A male voice called from down the hall.

  Daidhl growled. He wanted no interruptions in his work.

  “Annie, are you there?”

  Firm footsteps hurried down the hall toward them. He thought about killing the intruder, but there would be no sport. Men didn’t possess the same terror as women. He quickly turned invisible.

  A man came ran around the corner and skidded to a halt. His face paled and he stared in disbelief. He made the sign of the cross. “My God, Annie.”

  His voice was barely a whisper.

  Daidhl couldn’t help but laugh.

  “Who’s there?” the man cried as he whirled around. “Show yourself.”

  Daidhl slowly walked over to him, feeding on his fear. Maybe he should kill him, but he wasn’t a mate for one of those dreaded Zalarians. Besides, men didn’t possess the same delightful, terror as women.

  “Be grateful I didn’t murder you, too.”

  The man jumped back and slammed into a wall. His arms stretched out wide.

  Daidhl laughed hysterically, then walked down the hall, leaving the man shrieking and soaking up his horror.

  Chapter 13

  Agnes lay blissfully exhausted in Anonghos’ protective arms. He’d taken her fiercely in the bathroom and again in the bed. She liked listening to his pounding heart and his loud snores. She could lie here all night and
all day, letting him take her from one pleasure to another, but her desire was denied.

  But she couldn’t stop thinking of Kathy. What if something happened to Kathy while she was tangled with Anonghos? God, she’d never forgive herself.

  As if on cue, her phone rang loudly, tugging at her guilt. She unwound from Anonghos and answered. “Malloy?”

  “Where the hell have you been?” Tom barked.

  She winced. “If you remember, I was shot.”

  “Get your ass over here. There’s been another murder.”

  Guilt swelled inside her chest. Tom had been on the job while she was dilly-dallying with the Alien-of-the-Month club. “Crap. Where are you?”

  “At Hodgkins Elementary.”

  His hard voice fizzled all of her passion and bliss, then her gut tied into double knots.

  Don’t be a child. Don’t be a child.

  “What?”

  “The principal just found one of his teachers. He’s pretty shaken up and not making sense.”

  Relief flushed through her shivering body. At least it hadn’t been a student or Kathy. “Text me the address. I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

  Anonghos rubbed her sore behind where he’d dug his fingers into her flesh when he’d taken her hard. “Daidhl struck again.”

  “Yes.” She kicked back the covers. She threaded her fingers through her hair. “This time it was an elementary school teacher. Her principal just found her.” She went over to the closet to yank out some clothes.

  Anonghos climbed out of the bed. “I’m coming with you.”

  She turned around. “No, you’re not. If I show up with you, the captain’s liable to take me off the case.”

  He grabbed her arm. “You can’t solve this without me.”

  “I can’t bring you to the crime scene.”

  “Yes, you can, and you will.”

  “Listen, Mr. Dragon, you can’t tell me what to do. I won’t let you jeopardize my case.”

  He laughed. “You don’t actually think you can put this man in jail, do you?”

  She braced her shoulders, not caring he was a foot taller. She met his sarcastic glare. “Yes, I do. I’m a police officer. In case you’ve forgotten, that’s my job.”

  He stopped laughing, his voice turning serious. “There’s no prison on Earth that can contain, Daidhl. Your only hope is for me to kill him or capture him. I’ll take him back to Zalara where he’ll be punished.”

  “Fine.” She broke free from his tight clasp and went back to dragging a sweater and a pair of trousers out of the closet. Within minutes, she was dressed. The last few months being on a call had taught her how to move fast for an emergency. Murders didn’t happen eight to five.

  She pulled her hair back in a ponytail, but she groaned when she looked at her chafed cheeks. She hoped to god Tom wouldn’t know that she’d spent hours having the best sex she’d ever had, instead of hunting down a sadistic killer.

  But it was a foolish hope. Tom was a good cop and could put one and one together. If she wasn’t careful, he’d report her to the captain, and she’d find herself sitting behind a desk.

  Ignoring the throbbing pain, she slowly secured her holster and stuck her revolver in the sheath.

  When she walked out of the bedroom, Anonghos was waiting for her. “What took you so long?”

  “Very funny. I told you. You can’t come.”

  He shrugged. “Then, I’ll follow you. You can’t fight Daidhl without me. Or are you determined to be slashed open like those other women?”

  “Fine. Then you’re coming as an observer.”

  “I’m fine with that.”

  “Why don’t I believe you?”

  “Look, I said I would follow your rules. But remember my people’s lives are at stake too. While we were having sex, someone else’s line just died. Don’t expect me to be an idle by-stander.”

  “I was afraid you’d say something like that.”

  He smiled and turned to go down the stairs. Dread settled into her as she trailed behind Anonghos. What if they couldn’t stop Daidhl? Would she be attacked next? Kathy? How many more women would die?

  The silent siren on her dashboard flashed red. Agnes honked the car’s horn at a crowd of curious people filling the street. They parted when she turned on the siren. A black-white officer motioned for her to park in front of the school next to the coroner’s white van. Police cars were lined up neatly in the west parking lot.

  But it was the brown sedan that made her heart fall to her toes. The captain was here and wouldn’t be happy when she came strolling to the crime scene with Anonghos trailing her like a shadow.

  She opened her car door an inch. “Anonghos, don’t piss off Tom.”

  “I’ll try.”

  She narrowed her eyes. “Do better than try.”

  He got out before she did and slammed the door. She immediately climbed out about to send his ass back to jail. Having sex would not change anything. The job came first.

  The same officer blocked Anonghos’s path. “You need to get back.”

  She flashed out her badge. “He’s with me. He’s an observer. Where’s the body?”

  “In a hallway outside her classroom. Forensics is already down there.” He stuck out his thumb. “By the way, the feds are here.”

  “Lovely.” That’s when she noticed the black car parked in between two squad cars. Her nerves knotted up into tiny tangled. Oh, God, please, please, please, don’t let it be Frank.

  She motioned to Anonghos to follow her. “Come on.”

  He leaned close. “What are feds?”

  “Annoying assholes who think they’re gods, and we’re a bunch of bumpkins.”

  He smiled. “I’ve never met a god before.”

  She couldn’t help but shake her head and grin.

  They hurried into the faded red brick building that reminded her more of a detention center with security cameras posted in the hallways rather than an elementary school. But maybe the cameras would give them a break on the case. She could only hope.

  Tom and the captain were in the window-framed office that looked like any other school office with wire baskets, pens, and papers sitting on a Formica counter. So far, the suits hadn’t made an appearance.

  But by Tom and the captain’s grim faces, she doubted they’d hit pay dirt.

  The captain and Tom were talking with a tall thirtyish looking man. His black hair stood on end as if he’d been running his hand through it. His face was whiter than the tile floor.

  An officer stood guard in front of one hallway. Agnes could make out a body sprawled out that had been split open like the other victims.

  Sadness filled Anonghos’s eyes. “Another Zalarain’s lineage has been severed.”

  “I’m sorry, Anonghos.”

  He nodded but didn’t answer.

  Tom impatiently motioned for her to come inside. When she entered, the captain frowned. “Why the hell is he here?”

  “We need him.” Agnes refused to flinch. “Captain, did you call the feds? I was handling the investigation.”

  “No. I didn’t. But our illustrious mayor panicked.”

  “Humpf, yeah, I bet,” Tom mumbled. “Your brother will be less than pleased.”

  Air sucked out of Agnes as if she was hit the gut with a bat. “He’s here?”

  Tom smiled. “Of course. The mayor wanted the best.”

  “Great.” Blood drained from her face, and the tip of her fingers turned numb. This was so not what she needed. “Where is he?”

  Anonghos looked at her amusingly. “Is he one of the gods?”

  “He thinks he is,” she mumbled.

  Tom shrugged, then cleared his voice. “Principal Myers, this is my partner, Agnes Malloy.”

  The principal stretched out his hand. “Bob Myers.” He had a nice firm handshake. “It’s nice to meet you, Detective.” He released her hand. “Agent Malloy is your brother?”

  Agnes nodded, forcing herself to bite back a retort
. “Yes.” She gestured toward Anonghos and lied. “This is Anonghos, and he’s a special advisor on the case.”

  Just as she said that, another suit and her brother, who looked as smart as ever, entered the office. He was the exact opposite of her––tall, dark, muscular, handsome––her father’s favorite.

  “Really?” Frank put his hands behind his broad back. “I wasn’t informed of a special advisor.”

  Principal Myers frowned. “I thought you were the agent in charge.”

  Frank strolled over to Agnes. “I am.” He glanced at the tall blond man next to him, wearing an almost identical blue suit with a red tie. “This is Agent Jeff Holmes, my partner. We are both in charge of this investigation.”

  He gave Anonghos a cool look. “I suspect, sis, your claim of this civilian being important to this case is based on your so-called abilities.” He crowed her back like he had when she was a little girl––humiliating her in front of her friends. “Care to explain yourself, Detective?” He lowered his voice. “Or should I say, Carrie?”

  Heat flared in her cheeks and in her neck. He and his friends used to call her Carrie White, based on the misfit character in Stephen King’s novel, Carrie, who was strange and telepathic.

  Anonghos frowned. “Carrie?”

  Frank shrugged. “She was a crazy, psychic like my sister.”

  “Don’t talk about her like that.” Anonghos glowered and actually towered over Frank.

  Frank’s face actually paled. He straightened his tie and his Adam’s apple moved up and down. Agnes forced herself to hide a smile.

  She’d be called on the carpet for that one, but Anonghos was an advisor, not that she could tell these two that their number one suspect was from outer space. She’d be off the case and put on leave until a mental health exam said she was sane.

  The principal shook Anonghos’s hand. “It’s good to meet you.”

  He focused on Agnes. “Your partner reports that you have some amazing deductible abilities and can help us find out what happened to…Annie.” Tears welled in his eyes. He put his hand. “Sorry. I just can’t believe something like this happened here. I’m still not sure what happened.”

  She ignored Frank rolling his eyes and concentrated on the principal. “I’m sorry for your loss,” Agnes said. His grief appeared to be genuine, and this was a man who obviously cared about his staff.