20 Shades of Shifters: A Paranormal Romance Collection

by Demelza Carlton

  When she got him back.

  She wasn’t sure how long it was after the sun had set that she heard a low, droning sound approach from the north. She jumped up and headed for the front door as Papi’s bedroom door slammed above her. Clearly, he hadn’t been able to sleep either. He came up behind her as she stepped out onto the porch, rested his hands on her shoulders as though he could keep her safe. It was a warm, clear night, and she stared off in the direction of the sound. A beam of light illuminated the land, though she couldn’t see the source yet.

  Finally, it rose over the tree line—a helicopter, heading straight for the house. Perhaps it was the senator’s men, coming back to get her. If it was, she had no way of stopping them. And at least she would presumably be taken to Jacob. Though that would mean they would both be in the senator’s control, and she had a feeling she would not find it easy to break away.

  Out in the paddock, the horses neighed in panic at the monster from the skies.

  “Perhaps you should go and hide, child,” Papi said. “In the cellar beneath the barn. I will see what they want and come and get you if it’s safe.”

  The drone was a roar now. The wind from the whirling blades wafted against her face, the lights so bright, she had to shade her eyes. She considered his words, but the moment to hide was gone as the beam of lights played over their figures on the porch. So she stayed where she was, arms wrapped around herself while the helicopter hovered above the grass in the home paddock, before slowly lowering to the ground. Before it even touched down, a figure leaped from the open side door.

  She recognized him in an instant, and the dread seeped from her body, replaced by an emotion she hardly recognized. Elation. A wild joy that, for a moment, blanked out the fear and the worry.

  Finn.

  He’d said she wouldn’t see him again, and yet here he was. What had changed? Did he have bad news? Good news? For a second she searched behind him. Maybe he’d already rescued Jacob and was returning her son to her. But he was alone as he crossed the space, vaulting over the fence and jogging up the drive.

  He was dressed in dark jeans, a black T-shirt, and a short leather jacket. Beneath it she caught sight of some sort of holster. He was armed, and a shiver ran through her.

  What did she know of him, really?

  But something told her that he was her best—maybe her only—hope of getting Jacob back. All the same, she must keep up her guard.

  He came to a halt on the step below where she stood, so his face was level with hers. His gaze locked with hers, and he searched her face, a slow smile curling his beautiful lips. Without conscious thought, her own lips tugged upward, then she lowered her gaze. He held out his hands to her, and Papi’s fingers tightened on her shoulders. She kept her hands where they were, clasped firmly in front of her, and Finn’s dropped to his side.

  “Mr. Stanton,” Papi said. “Do you have any news for us?”

  He nodded. “Jacob is safe. He’s with Senator Danvers. We can presume he means the boy no harm.”

  She blew out her breath and her fear dissipated as though a fog cleared from her mind and she could think again. He was alive. Anything else she could deal with.

  “That is good news,” Papi said. “But how can he do this? What gives him the right?”

  “We’ve been gathering some information on the senator. He’s a powerful man who has gotten used to doing as he pleases.”

  “Who is ‘we’? Who are you, Mr. Stanton?”

  “My company, Stormlord Securities. We have people watching the senator’s place now.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a paper, handed it to her. She unclenched her fingers and took it from him. It was a photograph. Jacob with his great-grandfather standing beside him, a hand on his shoulder. She traced her finger over Jacob’s face. He wasn’t smiling, but at least he didn’t look scared.

  “Will you help us get him back?” she asked, and held her breath waiting for his answer.

  She didn’t know why he was here. Why he had been there to help her that afternoon. Or why he had been watching her throughout her life. A shiver ran through her. He’d said he’d been employed by her father, but she sensed it was more than that. And she had no clue what it could be. But she wanted his help. Needed his help. Earlier, she’d thought she was alone. That she would have to find a way to understand the outside world or say good-bye to her son forever. Now, here was the help she needed, and she would not turn it down just because he was something beyond her comprehension.

  “I will,” he said. “But I think you should come with us. It will be easier on Jacob if you’re close by.”

  She searched his face. “I thought you said you couldn’t take me with you?”

  “That was yesterday. Things have…changed. The senator has contacts within the police department. There’s been a warrant issued for your arrest.”

  “What?” she said. “How? What am I supposed to have done?”

  “It doesn’t matter. It just shows how powerful the man is. I don’t want to leave you here.”

  Something occurred to her. “Even if we get Jacob back, how will we ever be allowed to live in peace? What will stop him from coming for us again and again?” How could she go up against someone who could control the law enforcement agencies? Who else could he control?

  “Don’t worry,” Finn said. “My people are working on strategies that will get the senator off your back for good.”

  Again, she wanted to ask why, but she bit her lip and swallowed the word. She didn’t want him to change his mind.

  “Also,” he said, “until we knew what we were dealing with, it wasn’t safe for you.”

  “And is it now?” Papi asked. “My granddaughter nearly died yesterday. I know that wasn’t their intention, but she would still have been dead if you hadn’t been there to save her.”

  “I’ll not leave her,” he said. “And I’ll protect her with my life.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a cell phone. “I know you don’t approve of these, but I thought you might want to know what’s happening.”

  Papi peered at the phone, and for a moment she thought he would refuse. Then he reached out and took it. “Thank you.” He looked at Rachel. “Are you sure, child?”

  She nodded. “I want to go. I need to go. I’ll go crazy if I have to wait here, not knowing what’s happening.”

  A look of concern crossed his face, his eyes worried. “These people are not our people, Rachel. They are different, and do not follow our ways.”

  “I know. But he’s a good man.”

  “You know this?”

  Actually, she didn’t. She had tried to read him, but the sensations were ambiguous, neither good nor bad. Maybe a mixture of both. Or maybe Finn himself didn’t know, and that muddled the feelings he gave out. But she needed to put Papi’s mind at rest. “He’s a good man.”

  “Then go with my blessing and bring Jacob back to us.”

  “I will.” She turned back to Finn. “When do we leave?”

  “Now.”

  She had a moment of fear. This was all she had known for so long. Now she was planning on leaving her home with a stranger who could turn into a wolf and who, for some reason, had been watching over her.

  But the fear was quickly swamped by a growing excitement. She loved her home, but inside her there had always been a small seed of rebellion. She had never truly believed that the rules of Haven were right or justified; she’d just never in the past felt a strong-enough urge to break them. As long as they had allowed her the freedom of the forest and mountains, she had found everything else easy to accept. She didn’t care what she wore or whether she looked directly at a man. Well, she hadn’t. Now she peeped at Finn and found him watching her.

  “Do I need to take anything?” she asked.

  His gaze wandered over her. “Do you have any other clothes?”

  She glanced down at her long dark skirt, white apron, brown shirt. “What’s wrong with my clothes?”

  “Er…not
hing. They’re just not very suitable for traveling.”

  “I only have more of the same.”

  “We’ll get you something that blends in a little better when we get to the city. If there’s anything you want to bring, get it and we’ll leave.”

  “Give me a moment.”

  She hurried up the stairs to the room she shared with Jacob and found a canvas bag. She put in a change of underwear, a toothbrush, and a clean cap, then crossed to Jacob’s bed. His favorite toy, a stuffed wolf, was perched on his pillow, and she raised it to her face, breathed in the lingering scent of her son. After tucking it in the bag, she hurried down the stairs and out onto the porch. She hugged the bag to her chest. “I’m ready.”

  Papi’s expression was grave as he held out a hand to her. “Go with God, child.”

  She took his hand and squeezed. “I’ll be back soon. With Jacob. Look after yourself, Papi.”

  Finn turned and headed toward where the helicopter stood, the blades rotating slowly. She followed him. She was walking away from everything she had ever known with nothing but the clothes she wore.

  At the last moment something made her turn and run back. She was filled by a fear that everything was changing, and she might never see her beloved home again. Might never see Papi again. She threw herself into his arms and hugged him tight, then ran back after Finn. He’d turned and was waiting for her.

  As they approached the helicopter, it occurred to her that she was actually going to fly in that thing. She couldn’t even remember riding in a motor car, though she presumed she must have before her mother brought her back here.

  Her stomach churned, not with fear but excitement.

  The thing wasn’t large, maybe ten feet long. It would be like being in a bubble high above the earth.

  As they came in range of the blades, she ducked her head instinctively, though in fact they were way above the top of her head. She halted by the open door in the side, then jumped as Finn took her elbow, her heart racing. She was a widow. Had been a married woman. Why did his touch make her so jittery? Make her skin prickle with an awareness she hadn’t expected? He helped her into the seat and came around and climbed in beside her. As he leaned across her, she went still, her gaze flying to his face, and she caught a frown.

  “Sorry,” she said. “But in my world, we don’t touch a man we are not tied to by marriage. It is against our laws.”

  “Well, you’re in my world now. I just need to fasten the harness. I wouldn’t want you falling out.”

  The blades of the helicopter were speeding up, the noise rising, so speech became impossible. She held her breath as he pulled the straps from either side of her shoulders, crossed them over her front and clicked them together. His fingers brushed against her breasts, and something fluttered deep inside, her skin suddenly sensitive. He pulled the straps tighter until she was snug and secure, and she was aware of her body as she had never been before. It was just that everything was so different. That was all.

  He gave her a strange look she couldn’t quite read, and then sat back in his own seat and fastened his harness.

  Almost immediately, they rose into the air and her whole body tensed. She stared out of the window, saw Papi still standing on the porch, his hand shading his face. She and Jacob were his only family. He must be worried.

  She raised her hand, though she knew he wouldn’t be able to see it.

  Then the helicopter banked, almost over on its side, and she let out a small scream and grabbed the arms of her seat.

  Was that normal?

  But Finn still seemed calm. Staring straight ahead, deep in thought. And she forced herself to relax.

  They rose higher and flew through the night. Leaving her home and safety far behind.

  Chapter 9

  As the helicopter leveled, Finn rested his head back against the seat and stared out into the night. It would take them an hour to reach DC.

  He didn’t dare allow himself to hope. He’d lived with the knowledge that she was lost to him so many years. It was an intrinsic part of him now. He’d learned to exist with that knowledge, to push it to the back of his mind. Even find a purpose in life. But it was always there. Now, with the meeting, the sense of futility had risen, threatening to consume him.

  She felt some connection. He was sure. But it wasn’t enough. And he wanted her so much it was an ache inside him. Having her so close and not being able to touch her was a slow kind of torture.

  But it was clear she wouldn’t welcome his touch. In fact, when he’d rested his hand on her arm, she’d almost jumped out of her skin. And when he’d helped fasten her harness, he’d thought she would try and crawl through the back of the seat. At the same time, there had been an awareness in her eyes. And he knew she saw him as a man.

  A big part of that was her upbringing.

  He’d read up about Haven, though there was little information available on the place. They were an offshoot of a strict religious group that had wanted to move farther away from civilization in order to maintain their way of life. The settlement was run by a council of elders, all men, but the Pastor, Rachel’s grandfather, was in ultimate control. That was maybe why she’d had more freedom than most. The old man clearly loved her and maybe he recognized her wild spirit, knew that without some freedom, she would never accept the restraints of their way of life. The place wasn’t a prison. No one was made to stay. But sexual relations between unmarried couples was forbidden. She was bound to back away from a strange man. But he sensed there was more to her reactions than that.

  He was aware, from Torr and Cade’s experiences, that their women had been profoundly affected by their pasts. They were haunted by lives—and deaths—they couldn’t remember. The loss of loved ones had left an indelible stain on their souls, but no memories. When Torr had found Bella, she’d been totally closed off from the world, unwilling to allow herself to get close enough to anyone to love. Torr had nearly lost her. And Bella had loved Torr beyond life itself in their earlier existence.

  What hope did he have with Rachel?

  He cast her a sideways look—he was trying his best to give her a little space so she would settle and relax. She didn’t look relaxed; her hands were gripped tightly on her lap, her lower lip clenched between her teeth as she stared straight ahead. After the sheltered life she’d led, this was probably a new-experience overload. Plus, she was sitting next to a stranger. Who she’d seen as a wolf. It was a wonder she wasn’t running away and screaming.

  She’d always been perceptive to good and evil. What did she sense in him? She’d come with him, so it couldn’t be all bad.

  Exhaustion washed over him in waves. He hadn’t slept since before the extraction in South America. But when he closed his eyes, he was taken back to that long-ago time. The heat of the desert. The hot, dry air. The utter despair.

  How had she died? He hadn’t known. He’d seen her dragged away and heard her screaming. She’d screamed his name just once. As though she’d known even then that he was powerless to save her. Those old feelings rose up, threatening to drag him under. The total helplessness. Red-hot rage that had blanked out the pain as they ripped the wings from his back. He’d fought them, even when it was over. He remembered the sensation of falling as they’d hurled him into the Abyss. He’d thought he would fall forever.

  He jolted awake as the engine noise changed. They were approaching, the city spread out below them. He’d actually fallen asleep. Though maybe it would have been better if he hadn’t. The emotions felt raw, and he didn’t want to scare her. He pushed the feelings down, wrapped himself in a cloak of control. She’d been staring out of the window, but she turned as though sensing he was awake. The engines were too loud for conversation, and he pointed out of the window to the Stormlord Securities building, with its heliport directly below them. They were sinking now, then Killian settled them gently on the roof and switched off the engines.

  Finn waited until the blades slowed. Beside him, Rachel sat still as
stone in her seat as though she didn’t want to move. She hadn’t wanted to get in, and now she looked equally reluctant to get out. It must all be so strange for her. He touched her arm gently, and she jumped. He gestured to the harness and she nodded, but her fingers fumbled with the buckles, and he brushed them away. He could almost feel her cowering against the seat as though he might violate her in some way.

  The engines were silent now, just the gentle whir of the blades as they slowed. Killian had already unstrapped himself from the pilot’s seat and climbed out. He was waiting for them off to the left and still she didn’t move. “Rachel?”

  She slowly raised her head and looked at him.

  “I know this is all new,” he said. “But believe me—I will never knowingly do anything to harm you.”

  She nodded her head. “I do believe you.” She searched his face. “You’ve been looking out for me all my life. I just have no clue why. And something else.” She shook her head. “It’s as if… I know you.” She gave a small shrug. “And then I remember that I don’t know you at all. I have no idea why you’re helping me. And as you said, this is all beyond anything I’ve ever experienced. And I’m worried for Jacob. He’s so brave, but he’s also never been away from home, and he’ll be scared, and I hate that. Anyway, what I’m trying to say is…if I seem a little jumpy, it’s because I’m terrified and doing my best not to show it.”

  “You’re doing great. Just let me help you.”

  She nodded slowly, and he reached out and unfastened the harness, careful not to touch her more than necessary. When she was free, he opened the door and jumped out, came around and opened her door, held out his hand to her.

  She looked at it for a moment, before sliding her palm into his.

  As his fingers closed around hers, a shiver ran along her arm, down through her body, settling low in her belly. Her breasts ached, and her skin flushed. She’d never experienced anything like it in her life, and she sat frozen in place. Hoping that she wasn’t giving anything away. That he wasn’t aware the mere touch of his hand aroused illicit feelings inside her. Feelings she’d never experienced in all the years of marriage to Joseph, but which somehow resonated inside her. As though her body remembered, even if her mind had forgotten.