20 Shades of Shifters: A Paranormal Romance Collection

by Demelza Carlton

“You look… nice.”

  “Nice?”

  “Well, better. You weren’t looking well when I came to see you.”

  “Yeah, I think we need to have a conversation about that.”

  “After you eat something. Here, I made you some tea with milk and honey. Let’s see if your stomach can handle that. I had some deliveries this morning. Sabrina sent groceries. I’ve never had my fridge so full, not that I know what to do with most of it. She also had some soup sent over from a deli close by. It’s matzo, I heard it’s better than chicken soup.”

  “I like it. Thank you, it’s very kind of you to do this for me,” she said.

  “Have a seat,” he gestured towards the couch.

  Faye padded over to the end then walked to the corner filled with a pile of cream-colored pillows. She sat down, sinking into them. Everything in his house seemed to want to envelope her. She watched as Gideon pulled a small glass-top table over and set it between the couch and a coffee table that could seat eight.

  “Here, this will be easier to reach.” He set the cup down and retrieved a throw from the back of the couch. Draping it over her lap, he took a step back.

  “Would you like to watch television?” he asked.

  “Shouldn’t we talk?”

  “We will. I think you need to get back some strength first. Dr. Lee said you need time to recover. Let’s work on that first. We can iron out the details as needed.”

  Faye was sure that was rich-guy speak for, ‘I got this’.

  She reached for the tea and Gideon intercepted her, picking it up and pointing the handle towards her.

  “Thanks,” she said. She took in the aroma of the tea and honey and her stomach took the opportunity to make a loud grumbling noise. She could feel her cheeks turning bright red.

  “That has to be a good sign, right?” he asked, a small smile playing around the corners of his mouth.

  “I guess. I’m not sure when the last time I ate was.”

  “Let’s see how you do with the tea first.”

  “I really don’t need a babysitter, Gideon. I appreciate everything you’re doing, but you must have work to do.”

  “Not surprisingly, the company often runs without me there. I have an office here and can take care of anything urgent without leaving.”

  “Babysitting me can’t be that entertaining.”

  “I’ve never had a human guest in my house. This is a novelty for me. Not that you’re a novelty. It’s just a unique situation.”

  Faye laughed. “So glad I can amuse you.”

  “No, you don’t amuse me,” he said with all seriousness.

  Faye swallowed at the sheen in his eyes. “I just meant…”

  “Sorry, I’ve been told I can be a bit… abrupt. I don’t mean to be.”

  “No, it’s fine. I just don’t want to be a bother.

  “Faye, I’m not bothered. And if you recall, I came to find you. Don’t take any of that on yourself. I knew what I was doing.”

  Faye was glad he knew because she had no freaking idea. Sipping her tea, she let her eyes wander away from him.

  “I’ll turn on the television. Is there anything you like to watch?”

  “I don’t have cable, so anything will be interesting. I usually just watch movies.”

  “Well, I have all the channels. At least I’m pretty sure that I do. I’ve never actually checked.” Gideon pulled up the menu and handed her the remote. “Find something that catches your eye. I’ll warm up your soup.”

  Faye nodded and watched him walk away. She held the remote in one hand and the cup in the other. Setting down the cup, she went through a few pages on the screen until she came across Dirty Dancing. A comfort movie that made her forget her loneliness for a few hours was exactly what she needed right now.

  As she watched, she tried to relax. She was warm and sitting comfortably. If she had been at home she would have been free to let her guard down. But she wasn’t at home; she was in another plane of existence. When she woke up from this dream, she wouldn’t be surprised at all.

  Feeling a heaviness in her chest, she coughed once to try and clear it. That started a chain reaction of coughing that brought Gideon running.

  “What’s wrong?” His face looked worried and he was looking around like he needed to attack any possible threats.

  “I’m… coughing…” she said between gasps.

  “You need your medicine. I’ll be right back,” he said bounding up the stairs.

  Faye took a sip of her tea and a deep breath. She hadn’t coughed in a while and was hoping it was over. But the fit cause her head to burst in pain. Her chest felt raw again and the moment of feeling better was gone.

  Gideon returned with her medicine, the thermometer, and a pair of fluffy socks.

  “Did you take your IV out?” he asked.

  “I did. It’s okay, I know how,” she said feebly.

  “You should have waited for Dr. Lee,” he scolded.

  “Probably, but if I didn’t get a shower I wasn’t going to survive. I would have rotted away.”

  “I seriously doubt that. How did you know how to take it out?”

  “I’m going to vet tech school. We’ve already done IVs on animals. It’s basically the same thing.”

  Gideon grunted. She wasn’t sure what that meant.

  “Here, let’s check your temperature.”

  “Gideon, I can do that myself.”

  “Or I can do it for you,” he said, pointing the scanner near her ear.

  Faye sighed. “Do you think I will give you the wrong reading if I do it myself?”

  Gideon’s eyebrow rose. “I hadn’t actually thought of that. Now I know it’s a possibility.”

  The beep chimed in her ear.

  “One hundred point nine. That’s still a fever.”

  “It’s better,” she said weakly.

  Gideon pursed his lips and handed her the antibiotic that Lee left. Once she swallowed it with her tea, he handed her two fever reducers. Then he topped it off with the cough syrup that made her sleepy.

  “That stuff makes me woozy,” she complained.

  “Good, then you’ll fall asleep. Rest is good for you. Stick out your feet, you need socks.”

  Faye pushed her legs out from under the blanket before she realized she had done it automatically. Gideon made fast work putting on the fuzzy thick pair of socks that looked like they had never been worn. Sabrina must have brought them because they definitely weren’t Gideon’s style.

  “There, warm feet help you heal.”

  “Are you a nurse?”

  “No, but I play one on TV. I’m going to get your soup.”

  Faye watched him leave with her mouth open. Had he just made a joke? Gideon of Clan Othala had made a joke? She must have a fever.

  Gideon returned with a large bowl and she could see the steam floating off as he walked. He set it next to her and she saw that it contained a golden clear broth with a giant matzo ball resting in the middle. She breathed in the aroma and her stomach gurgled. Faye smiled before she could stop herself. Yes, she was smiling at soup. She was also smiling because someone else had made it for her. Or at least brought it to her. She hadn’t been waited on, well, ever. At least not that she could remember.

  Faye stared at the soup a little too long because Gideon commented.

  “Do you not want it?”

  Startled, she looked up to him. It was a shock each time she did. Like she forgot how good-looking he was. “No, I do. I just…”

  “You can say anything, Faye. I won’t be offended.”

  “I was just enjoying the moment. I don’t get waited on much.”

  Gideon frowned. “You go to restaurants, that’s just a stranger bringing you food.”

  “I don’t go to restaurants. My vet school costs a lot. I’m paying for each of my credits so I don’t have debt. I eat at home. I’m used to it. It’s a luxury I don’t need.”

  “Eating out is a luxury, but it’s worth it.”<
br />
  Faye shrugged. It wasn’t something she’d had enough to miss. There were infrequent trips as a child with her foster parents taking her to restaurants. But it was always a trip that came with a dose of guilt. Guilt that she was the odd one out and they would have to pay for her from funds that weren’t being reimbursed. It was always a common theme with her foster parents. They never got paid enough.

  “Everyone grows up differently,” she offered. There was no way Gideon would understand.

  “True. Eat. Do you mind if I sit here?”

  “It’s your couch,” she said.

  “What are we watching?”

  “Dirty Dancing. I love it.”

  “I don’t think I’ve ever seen it.”

  Faye had started to sip her soup and she almost dropped her spoon. “How have you not see Dirty Dancing? Nobody puts Baby in a corner?”

  Gideon shook his head. “I watch the news. Unless it was on there, I probably missed it.”

  “Why do you have all these channels when you don’t watch TV?”

  “Because, someone might come over and want to watch something.”

  “Do you entertain a lot?”

  Faye sipped the soup and held back a moan. It was warm and was making her feel better. She cut off a piece of the matzo and slowly chewed it.

  “No, not here.”

  Faye looked around the beautiful space. “You could have really nice parties.”

  Gideon followed her eyes around the room. He’d lived in this penthouse for eight years and hadn’t changed a thing since he had moved in. Besides himself, his immediate family and employees, he lived there alone. She would see the space as a home, a place to have gatherings, instead of a place to sleep, work, and change clothes.

  As Faye looked around, Gideon took the opportunity to watch her. Her color was a little better, though she was still too pale. He could see the effects of the medicine and the soup taking effect, her soft brown eyes glazing over.

  “I should have a party here. Would you come?”

  Her eyes shot to his. “Me? Your mail clerk?”

  “I hope by the time you’re better we can call each other friends.”

  As he said it, he realized he meant it. He could be a friend with Faye. He knew for sure that he wasn’t going to let her go back to her life without knowing how she is doing in the future. His connection to Faye wasn’t waning. He was enjoying just having her there. She was in his space and normally he didn’t think he would like it at all. But she fit somehow.

  “Friends, with me?”

  “Why not?”

  “Too many reasons to explain right now,” she said.

  As she continued to eat her soup, Gideon counted the spoonfuls to tell Lee when he arrived. It probably wasn’t necessary information, but he found himself doing it anyway.

  “Then I’ll take a rain check on that conversation.”

  They sat while Faye ate and watched TV. Gideon could see her eyelids drooping and she eventually nodded off, her head slumping to the side. Gideon turned down the TV and picked up her dishes. When he returned, he pulled the soft throw blanket over her gently.

  Giving her some privacy, he went to his office and checked in with work. Gideon was walking out to check on Faye when he heard the elevator opening. He rushed to the door to keep the visitor from knocking.

  Gideon opened the door to Lee. He held his finger up to his lips, which made Lee smile. Gideon shook his head at his friend. He gestured towards his office inviting Lee to follow him. Once inside he closed the door.

  “I’m sorry, are you worried about waking Sleeping Beauty in there?”

  “She hasn’t been asleep that long. No reason to wake her.”

  “Protective, are we?”

  “Of someone currently in my care? Absolutely.”

  “How’s she feeling?”

  “She got up and took a shower this morning, but not before yanking out her IV without assistance.”

  “Resourceful. I’ll check on it. Food?”

  “I got tea and soup in her plus a round of her meds. She started coughing again.”

  “Well, you’re handy in the sick room, I must say.”

  “Lee, you make it sound like you need years of schooling to do it,” Gideon mocked.

  “To some of us it comes more naturally,” Lee said proudly. “I’ll need to check her before I leave.”

  “Give her a few more if you can. Her color still doesn’t look great.”

  “Her color? You have an opinion on her color, do you?”

  “I vaguely remember what she looked like in the office. I’ve seen her before in passing. She didn’t look like she does now.” Gideon actually felt some guilt about not paying attention to her before. Not that he would have any reason to, so that feeling didn’t really make sense.

  “So do you think she might be….?”

  “Be what?”

  “You know, your mate?”

  “I have no idea. I don’t think so, though.”

  “I knew Aiesha for three weeks before I heard the call. I was a lot like you. I thought it happened right away.”

  “Well, we never know. It seems to be so subjective.”

  “I usually don’t say this, but my mating call was a kiss. Not even a passionate one. Just a simple press of my lips against hers. When it happened I couldn’t believe that we’d spent all that time getting to know each other and it was right there in front of us.”

  “I don’t think I’m going to be kissing Faye,” Gideon said with a shake of his head.

  “Maybe it will be something else. You never know what might trigger it. Just don’t assume either way. She seems like no matter how much she’s taken on in her life, she’s maybe not ready for a big shock.”

  “Thanks, no pressure there. She’s quiet, although the spark is there. I’d love to see more of it,” Gideon admitted.

  “Love to see more of it, interesting choice of words.”

  “Stop, I mean that the quiet is on the outside. Like a mask she’s wearing. I don’t think she’s really as subdued as she shows to people. She seems to have a quiet life. I don’t think she’s had it easy. She was amazed that I brought her soup this morning. Like it was something she hadn’t experienced before. That’s not right.”

  “You know my feelings on women. Spoil them deeply and often. No reason not to make the women in your life happy.”

  “She’s not a woman in my life, Lee. She’s an employee.”

  “An employee that is currently cuddled up on your couch. Your television is on. All this time I thought it was wall art.”

  “You’re hilarious. She wanted to watch a movie. Dirty Dancing, you heard of it?”

  Lee looked at him like he’d grown another head. “Gideon, everyone’s heard of it.”

  “She seemed to like it.”

  “Most women do. It’s Patrick Swayze, they can’t resist him.”

  “You’re saying I should buy a leather jacket?”

  “I’m going to say no. You have a look about you. Just keep it.”

  Gideon grunted. “How’s the mate?”

  “Grumpy. We’re expecting.”

  Gideon looked at Lee in shock. “Seriously? A baby?”

  “That’s generally what one means by expecting. Yes, we confirmed it this morning.”

  “I’m sorry you had to come out here. You should be with your mate.”

  “She practically kicked me out. She doesn’t like feeling sick around me. Her morning sickness is early and often. I have her mom checking in and conveniently staying around even if Aiesha doesn’t want her to. She can be sick in front of her mom more easily.”

  “Poor thing. Anything I can do?”

  “Yes, when she gets mad and kicks me out, make sure there is a suite at The Cobalt with my name on it.”

  “You can always stay at my hotels. Besides, if you were being smart you’d send your mate instead of you.”

  “True, a big soaker tub and room service would be perfect for her.
I’ll remember that.”

  Gideon smiled at his friend. “Congratulations, really. Another wolf for the Clan Othala.”

  “Yes, you cats are out numbering us.”

  “I think the bears have us beat. They love nothing more than making new cubs.”

  “Maybe hibernating?” Lee joked.

  “Don’t let my security hear you say that.”

  Lee laughed. “I know better. Your guys are scary looking.”

  “They’re supposed to be. I trust them with my life.”

  “I saw Royce out front keeping an eye on the mob out there,” Lee said.

  “Mob?”

  “I hate to break it to you, but I think there are more today.”

  “Fuck!”

  Gideon opened his laptop and found a news site with less news and more gossip. There at the top of the screen was the headline: Has this sexy secretary snatched up Gideon? There in black and white was her name, Faye Dixon. They had her title wrong but not the name. It was just going to get worse. They were going to dig up her entire life. She was going to have no privacy.

  “Fuck, what the hell? Why do they do this? She doesn’t deserve this.”

  “Because it sells. They want to know what you’re up to. They want to know your mate. You’re wealthy and they can’t stand that you’re single. It upsets their world, for some reason.”

  “It’s bullshit. I’d say it was just humans but I know damn well it’s not. Everyone is in my business.”

  Lee gave his friend an understanding look. Gideon wasn’t really that baffled. It was just the nature of the world to want to follow the dramatic coverage the news fed everyone.

  “What the hell am I going to do with Faye?”

  Lee groaned. “Right now? I don’t think telling her will help her recovery. If you can keep her here through the rest of the week, it would be for the best. She should be feeling more herself by then. If you want I can be here when you tell her.”

  Gideon gave him a look of confusion. “You?”

  “She trusts me. She’s smiled at me. Has she smiled at you?”

  Gideon thought back. “Shut the fuck up.”

  “Exactly, I’m here for you. Let’s go wake up our patient and see where’s she at.”

  Gideon wasn’t worried about Lee being around Faye. A happily mated Kindred was as loyal as they come. Then again, she wasn’t his mate so it shouldn’t matter. But for some reason it rubbed him the wrong way. She needed to be protected. The outside world was hard enough without the media watching your every move.