20 Shades of Shifters: A Paranormal Romance Collection

by Demelza Carlton

  Jakob shook his head. “Nope, it was all Ciara.”

  She waved her hand dismissing Jakob’s boast. “Well, not all me. I’m sure.”

  Jada had an answer to half her question. “What about the other two? Fire and water?”

  Ciara closed her eyes and everyone’s coffee and tea froze solid.

  Dax turned his cup upside down and shook it. Nothing came out. “Hey, I was going to drink that.”

  He turned the cup upright and blew a tight stream of fire at the ice, warming it back up and took a sip.

  Before anyone else could say anything, their cups all began to steam.

  Ciara blew out a breath and yawned. “Only little parlor tricks, but they take a lot out of me. I haven’t properly learned to focus any of them, except for that one time.”

  Ciara paled for a moment and swallowed like she had something bitter in her mouth. Jakob took her hand and squeezed.

  She smiled and continued. “It’s not like the way I can work with the emotions. I’ve used that one most of my life without even knowing it.”

  “Fleur, I’ve seen your power over the plants. Can you use the other elements too?”

  Maybe all dragon mates were white witches. Which meant Jada was not one. The human part of her had some light, but the rest of her was dark and black.

  “My mother is a flower nymph, so most of what I can do is from her. But, when Steele and I mated—” Fleur glanced over at her dragon warrior before continuing, “I met the White Witch too. She brought something more out in me.”

  Fleur stood took a deep breath and a shimmer washed over her body. The green dragon mark on her neck and collarbone stretched its wings.

  Her eyes changed, her pupils elongating, the green in them more pronounced, stunning. Small sharp talons extended from her hands and white scales flicked across her skin.

  She didn’t shift into a dragon, only those features appeared, but the shard at her neck glowed.

  There was no such thing as female dragons. Leon had made that a point.

  Jada stared along with everyone else. She wasn’t as focused on Fleur’s transformation, as the soul shard she wore. Ciara had one too. Neither of their dragons did.

  A longing so deep inside of her own soul struck her with the force of a tsunami. The dragons had given their mates their souls.

  Steele stepped up and stood directly behind Fleur, his own dragon just below the surface, growling at the other dragon warriors, protecting his mate.

  Ky, Dax, and Jakob didn’t move. They weren’t any threat to Fleur. They were surprised was all.

  Ciara breathed out a sigh and helped the rest of them do the same. “Fleur. That’s amazing. But, you might put it away before Steele drags you off to his lair.”

  Fleur blinked a few times and the scales and talons receded. Steele bent and whispered something in her ear that made her blush. A couple of daisies popped up from the floor under their feet.

  “The White Witch is obviously trying to help us, but we’ve got to help ourselves with what she’s given us.” Not that Jada was sure how she could contribute unless Kur-Jara wanted to let her drink him dry.

  She’d figure that out later. Another attack could come at any time, now that they knew the demon dragons could come out to play during the day.

  “The dragons have their powers over the elements. Ciara, you can play with all four, along with a fifth element that includes emotions, Fleur has some serious flower power fueled by something unique, and I’m not sure how it will help, but I’ve got my hypnotic allure. We have to be able to cobble all that together into a plan of some kind.”

  Ky smiled like a fool at her. “Don’t forget your sexy smarts, aroha.”

  She hid the shiver his words gave her. “The question is, how can we harness those powers to keep everyone safe from Kur-Jara?”

  “It sure would help if the rest of the dragons had badass mates too.” They all looked over at Dax.

  “Hey, hey, hey.” Dax raised his hands holding back the stares of the ladies. “Don’t look at me. I haven’t even hit my Prime yet.”

  Fleur waggled her fingers at him. “You need a visit from the White Witch.”

  The front door blew open and Ninsy, in a flowing gown and a sword at her waist, walked into the room, appearing out of thin air.

  Dax squeaked like a baby mouse and bolted for the kitchen.

  Steele and Jakob shimmered into their dragon forms blocking the room. Jada shot a look at Ky, but he shook his head.

  Ninsy walked right up to the green dragons and patted them both on the noses. She spoke briefly to Jakob, but quietly enough that only the two of them could hear what she said. Then she squeezed between the two and plopped down into an empty seat on the couch. She picked up the cup of coffee that Jada hadn’t yet touched. “Got any donuts to go with this?”

  Jada hugged her boss come badass fighter friend. “Ninsy, I thought you were dead. What happened to you?”

  “Do you know this, umm, woman?” Fleur asked.

  Ky stood and placed a hand on Ninsy’s shoulder. “She helped us battle the demon dragons yesterday. She is a friend.”

  Ninsy lifted her cup in cheers to Ky. “Sorry about leaving you like that. I can’t let the Black Dragon know of my existence in this world. I knew the two of you would get out of there alive and I left you the weapon I developed to destroy demon dragons. I’m glad you figured it out and used it.”

  “The rhubarb Danishes?”

  Fleur held up one finger pausing the reunion. “You used rhubarb to destroy demon dragons? That’ what was all over Jada’s clothes. It’s so toxic, especially to lizards. Why didn’t I think of that? I’ve got some growing in the community garden now.”

  She closed her eyes and held out both of her hands. Swirls of green ether flickered in her palms. “It’s ready for harvest now. Nice big leaves and roots. Will you share the rest of your recipe with us? And also, who are you?”

  Ninsy smiled and nodded. “I’ve been sent by my mistress to help you in your upcoming battles with Kur-Jara.”

  Jakob and Steele shifted back and rejoined their mates. They both eyed Ninsy warily. Jada couldn’t blame them, but maybe together they could devise a way to get them off her tail and leave them all alone.

  “Ninsy, do you know why the demon dragons and Kur-Jara are attacking me?”

  Fleur sat next to Ninsy. “Or why he kidnapped me?”

  Ninsy nodded and took another sip of her coffee. “For the same reason he wants the soul shards.”

  “They tried to take both mine and Steele’s shards before we gave them to our mates. Ky have they attempted to get yours?”

  “No, but, they may have another. Jakob?” Ky was asking a question only the two Wyverns understood.

  Jakob nodded. “Cage Gylden’s soul shard has been stolen.” He turned his gaze on Jada. “By a succubus.”

  Aw, shit on a shingle.

  Every eye in the place turned to Jada. All of them were asking if she’d done it. All except Ky’s.

  Was it possible to fall in love with someone so different from herself in one day? She knew other shifters had fated mates, but they mostly mated their own kind, or sometimes humans.

  Could it truly be possible that she was Ky’s true mate? Was that why she was feeling this way, all gooey inside like a custard filled éclair?

  That was it. The mates.

  “I think Kur-Jara wants more than the shards. Whatever he’s planning, he wants them and the mates. Together.”

  Ciara grasped for Jakob’s hand. He gave it to her and pulled her to him. Steele did the same with Fleur.

  Jada bit her lip. She didn’t know what made her think she could ever have that instant support from anyone in her life. Just because Ky had claimed her didn’t mean—

  A hand slipped into hers and squeezed, interlacing their fingers. Her eyes must have been as big as the moon when she looked over at him.

  Ninsy bit into a donut and watched them all like they were the most in
teresting show on TV.

  Hey, where’d she get a donut?

  Dax edged his way back into the room. But, stayed as far as he could from Ninsy. “That’s all well and fine, and by fine, I mean fucking horrible. So now we need a plan to protect the shards and every woman, witch, and succubus out there in case they are potential mates?”

  “No, I have a better idea. We can’t protect the whole world from the demon dragons.” Jada lifted a hand when all four of the dragon warriors started to protest to hold their arguments. “I’m not saying you haven’t done a great job of that. But, that was before Kur-Jara decided to ante up.”

  “What do you suggest we do? Give up?” Dax folded his arms and glared. He was suspicious of her. She couldn’t blame him, she was a succubus after all.

  “No. The opposite. I don’t want you to protect us. I want you to let us join in the fight.”

  This time Jada couldn’t stop the uproar. There were a whole lot of “hell no” and “you’re crazy” being tossed at her. From everyone except Ky.

  He joined her in the center of the group. He faced Jakob first.

  “Jakob. Who saved your ass when a horde of demon dragons buried you trying to get your soul shard?”

  Jakob fixed his gaze on his mate. So much affection, dare she name it, love, glowed out of him. “Ciara.”

  The shard at Ciara’s neck glowed with it’s beautiful green and white light. She took Jakob’s hand and squeezed.

  Ky nodded and faced Steele, who glared back at him.

  “Steele? Who smacked the Black Dragon upside the head with a tree and got herself out of the depths of hell?”

  His glare turned into a pride-filled grin. “Fleur.”

  A daisy popped up in Steele’s hair and the light from around Fleur’s throat joined with Ciara’s.

  “Who did the both of you give your soul shards to, full well knowing they would keep your souls safe while you went off to battle?”

  Steele and Jakob stared into the eyes of their mates.

  Jada’s chest tightened, all the muscles around her heart and down to her stomach clenching. She wasn’t sure whether her body was responding to the mushy-gooshiness of the people around her, so in love, a feeling she’d never thought she’d ever feel, or in anticipation of what she was sure Ky was going to say next.

  “And who do you think saved my ass from a mountain of demon dragons and this Black Dragon himself? With only rhubarb filling for a weapon?”

  He glanced from warrior to warrior.

  Jada’s muscles unclenched, and she let out a breath. She hasn’t even realized she’d been holding it in.

  “Yeah, that’s right. Jada. So, I think it’s only fair to hear what she has to say about our mates joining the fight.”

  Ky sat back down, but not before making a show of kissing Jada on the top of her head.

  Warmth and tingles dripped down over her. There were too many fuzzy feels to take in. She pushed those to the back of her mind. Concentrate on the here and now and how to communicate her plan.

  Sweet baby cheese-whiz. She hoped the inkling of an idea that had sparked sounded as good coming out of her mouth as it did in her head.

  “Instead of protecting, which is an impossible task, we need to go on the offensive. Take the battle to the Black Dragon. Or rather, bring him to us.”

  Ky nodded, agreeing with her before he even knew what she had in mind. “How?”

  Jada looked from Ciara to Fleur and back. They were both so powerful, and so precious to their mates. They were all about the girl power, they’d buy in, right?

  She glanced over at Ky quickly. Hopefully none of them would want to kill her for what she was about to suggest.

  They might. It was a brilliant and brilliantly stupid idea. One that could get them all killed. Or worse.

  “Use us,” she waved her hand in a triangle between herself and the other women, “as bait.”

  Your Love is Better than Donuts

  No way, no how was Ky going to let Jada use herself as bait for the Black Dragon and his demon children. The thought of it had his own dragon roaring to get out and protect its mate.

  The wise minded warrior part of him knew she had a solid idea and that it could work. He’d walked right into this, touting her smarts and skills. God, she was a badass.

  Dammit.

  He wanted to wrap her up in candy floss and hide her away from the world. She’d had enough fighting and strife from his enemies. A mate was for loving, protecting, kissing, and bedding. Not bait.

  “Ky, quit shaking your head at me. You know this is the best chance we have of getting Kur-Jara off our backs.” There was less demand and more vulnerability in Jada’s voice. She wanted him to back her up.

  That’s what true mates did.

  He hadn’t even realized he’d been shaking his head at her. Ky unfolded his arms and quieted the dragon inside. If ever there was a time to show Jada he had every faith in her, this was it.

  He did believe in her and her plan. It hurt to his core to think of her in danger, but he would tolerate any pain to ensure she knew she could count on him.

  Ky glanced over at Steele and Jakob. Their dragons shimmered near the surface too, the tattoos stretching and writhing up their necks trying to free themselves. The men remained calm, their attention on Ky, waiting for his decision.

  His mate, his choice.

  He could very clearly see in the thrashing of the dragon tattoos that they hated the idea as much as he did. Maybe with a lot of time, a dozen more dragon warriors, and some super smarts, they could come up with a better plan.

  They had none of those.

  Ky would call upon the strength of the First Dragon to see him through this. He was afraid he wasn’t strong enough on his own to see Jada and the other mates risk their lives.

  Ky stared into Jada’s eyes. There were flashes of uncertainty and hopefulness there. He would not let her down. He would not let her die. “You will not put yourselves in any kind of unnecessary danger.”

  Jada stood to protest, but Ky lifted a hand to stop her, just as she had to all of them. “It is a good idea. It scares the balls off me, but it could be our best option. Together, we can all figure out how to make it work, without putting the three of you in too much peril.”

  His mate tried to hide a smile by pressing her lips together. Soon, she would learn she never had to hide anything from him.

  “Tell us your plan, aroha.”

  Jada nodded and took a deep breath. “I’ve got two scenarios in my head. One at night where we’re all prepared for them and the other during the day, if they come to surprise us again.”

  “Demon dragons need the darkness and shadows to manifest. They aren’t going to attack in the day.”

  “Kur-Jara grows bolder, stronger, I suspect with Ereshkigal help.” Ninsy dunked her cruller in her coffee.

  Where had she gotten a donut?

  “What does that mean?” Steele asked.

  “Yesterday, we were attacked in daylight.”

  “Holy shit.”

  “They could find us here at any time. Why haven’t they attacked already?”

  Ninsy pulled a sword from the sheath at her back and drew a symbol in the air with it. The air sparked and glowed with a silvery light in the shape of a protection ward. “The Black Dragon won’t be able to find you for a few more hours at least.

  Ciara stared at the glowing sigil and grinned at Ninsy. “Ooh. I’ve been doing research to better understand my powers. That’s a protection ward. It should give us time to make a plan to get this guy.”

  Jakob put a possessive hand on Ciara’s shoulder. “We’ll call in all available dragon warriors to ensure our mates are not harmed. I know Match has some reds on the west coast of America. Dax, can you contact them and tell them to get their asses over here?”

  “Fuck, yeah.” Dax whipped out a phone from his pocket and walked back into the kitchen.

  Ky wanted all the Wyverns here if they were going to battle t
he Black Dragon. Their powers played off each other make them stronger as a whole.

  Cage was barely holding on to life and Ky was still tasked with getting Cage’s shard back. He knew to his core, Jada hadn’t stolen it. But, maybe she could find out who had.

  “I suggest we all call in as much of our Wyrs as can get here in the next few hours. The Black Dragon’s last attack was in daylight, so we cannot afford the luxury of waiting to gather until nightfall.”

  Jakob pulled out his phone too. “I don’t have any more greens on this continent, but Cage may have some golds. I want to check on him anyway.”

  “Ninsy, will you help me with the rhubarb potion?” Fleur asked.

  Ciara gave Jada’s arm a quick squeeze before she stood up and followed the others toward the kitchen. “I’m hoping Ninsy will show us that sigil she drew. I’d like to add some more protection spells into my magical grab bag o’fun.”

  “As you wish, mistress.”

  That left just Steele, Jada, and Ky to build the plan. If Jada could contact her coven, they could come and add to the strength of the dragon warriors.

  Her father’s experience and knowledge of the Black Dragon would be invaluable, just as Jada’s had been.

  But, could they be trusted? One of them had most likely stolen Cage’s soul shard. Portia had mentioned being away. She didn’t seem Cage’s type.

  Although, every woman was Cage’s type.

  An inkling of an idea to capture the Black Dragon and find Cage’s shard at the same time formed in his mind. It would mean Jada betraying someone in her family.

  He’d barely won a shred of her trust. He would win the rest. He had to. Not just for Cage, or the fate of dragonkind, or to win this god-damned battle. But, he selfishly wanted her for his own. Wanted her trust and faith and loyalty all wrapped up in love.

  Love?

  Christ, yes. He’d fallen head over tail for her the second he saw her cramming donuts into her mouth.

  He’d buy a her a hundred donuts shops if she’d love him back.

  What the hell had the First Dragon and the White Witch done to him? How could he feel so deeply for a woman, one who was part demon, who he’d only known existed a day ago?