by L. A. Boruff
“That whole night was crazy. I had too much to drink. But,” I said. “I remember how hot you looked in it,” I added, hoping to keep things light. I didn’t want her to dwell on using her powers.
“A number of other men thought so too,” she said, prompting my chest to tighten. “Do you really want a repeat of last year?”
“Good point,” I said. “Save the sexy costumes for the bedroom. Your harem is full.”
She laughed, and my muscles relaxed, grateful she hadn’t pushed the matter of her powers and last Halloween. “Is it?” She arched an eyebrow in challenge.
I pulled her on top of me and smacked her ass playfully. “You just married three men, and you’re already looking for your next groom?” I teased.
She propped herself up on her elbow, her dark brown hair dusting my chest, her expression serious. “No. There’s no one else I want but Elias, Declan, and you.”
“Good,” I said, pressing my lips to hers. “Because I’m not good at sharing.”
“I hadn’t noticed,” she said with a wry grin.
I rolled us so I was on top of her. “Good thing you’re mine for the night. Because I fully intend to make the most of it.”
She wrapped a hand around my neck and pulled me down to her mouth. This time, she didn’t hold back. I could feel my control slipping, but I trusted her. And I honestly didn’t care if she controlled my mind, because she already ruled my heart.
Julia Clarke: Time of Enchantment
Blurb
Ana Marea is disenchanted.
By men.
By the promise of love.
By the illusion of forever.
Ana may have the brilliant mind of a scientist, but she’s a romantic at heart. Endowed with the ability to enchant objects, she can’t seem to spark the same magic in her love life. And after a string of failed relationships, she worries she’ll never get her chance at a happily ever after.
Could the answer lie with a wolf shifter, a genetics professor, and two men from the past? Or when time runs out and the spell breaks, will Ana’s heart shatter with it?
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About the Author
Julia Clarke writes about smart, sassy women with a strong sense of self and the drool-worthy men who can’t resist them. Forbidden love and romance that defies expectations are her favorite stories to read and write about.
An adventurer at heart, Julia dabbles in everything from tap dance to calligraphy. When she's not traveling with her husband or playing with her daughter, Julia is learning new recipes, hiking, sailing, or inhaling copious amounts of fine chocolate.
www.authorjuliaclarke.com
Skye MacKinnon: Polar Dream
This story is set between the second and the third book in The Drowning series, but you’ll be able to read it without having read the books. For context though, Isla is a young woman who was turned into a bear shifter and now lives on a deserted island with four rather handsome men: Torben, Finn, Húnn and Ran. She’s also pregnant and, in her words, ‘ready to pop’.
Chapter 1: The only chapter this story has and the only one you’ll ever need
Hard vines twisted around my wrists. I struggled, but the more I moved, the harder they became. My arms were lifted until my hands met high up in the air. Something grabbed my ankles and pulled them apart. My back arched against the rough bark behind me. That’s when I realized I was naked. Standing against a tree. Naked. Legs apart. Naked.
A shadow detached from one of the trees in front of me. He stepped into the moonlight and my breath caught in my – naked – chest.
"Thought you could run from me, little bear?"
Green eyes were glinting in a shadow-covered face. The vines covering his body framed his strong muscles perfectly. I didn’t know him, but I decided I really wanted to get to know him. As soon as he released me from the vines.
I felt wetness gather between my legs. The air was cool, but not cold. Goosebumps covered my skin. I wanted to think they were from the light breeze, but my quickening heartbeat told me something different.
Shadows were still covering his face. I could just about make out the smirk on his mouth. He was tall, broad-shouldered, and the way he moved towards me, like a predator, was definitely not human.
A vine caressed my face while the man just stood there, motionless.
“Untie me!” I demanded, but it came out as a bit of a moan as more vines slithered around my body. One gently touched my right breast, drawing circles on my flesh. The branches clinging around my ankles pulled to both sides, making me spread my legs even further.
Still, he was standing there, not moving, just watching. I swallowed. I wanted this. Even though I didn’t know him. Even though I was completely powerless and at his mercy.
He finally stepped out of the shadows and moonlight touched his face. His green eyes were full of fire as his gaze swept over my body, taking in every imperfection. I wanted to hide and cover myself, but the vines had me in their grip.
I grit my teeth and decided to repay him by staring at him in return. Two could play this game. My eyes were drawn down to his chest, his abs - the muscles showing through the tight tunic he was wearing - and the bulge that made me drool.
When he saw me ogling him, he grinned, showing his brilliant white teeth. With a few quick steps, he was in front of me. His hand came close to my face but stopped just before touching my skin. I sucked in a deep breath. I needed him to touch me. The gentle vines that were still running across my upper body weren't enough. I wanted his warm hands on my skin. His intense eyes locked with mine.
Then his lips crushed against mine without warning, and his tongue invaded my mouth. My head pressed against the rough bark; there was no way to move back from his exploring tongue, his hot lips, his breath that mingled with my own. I moaned and struggled against the branches keeping my hands in place. I wanted to run my hands through his curls, feel the softness of his hair, then move them down, touching his face, explore the tiny wrinkles framing his eyes.
His mouth left my own and we both took a deep breath. Fire burned in my belly.
"Untie me, I need to touch you," I gasped.
He stayed silent and continued to watch me struggle against my bonds. Something was running down my legs, and I squirmed, trying to close them.
"You are beautiful," he finally said, his eyes full of desire.
Then he turned away, leaving me tied to the tree, breathing heavily.
I couldn't believe it. How could he - my lust turned into anger, then embarrassment.
"Come back!" I called into the emptiness of the forest. The only thing that answered was an annoyed chorus of birds that I had ripped from their sleep. The bonds around my legs slowly softened, then curled away. I sagged down, the only thing holding me up the branches around my wrists. When they loosened too, I dropped to the floor. I curled up at the foot of the tree. Could embarrassment kill? If so, I was close to dying. My breath still hadn't come back to normal. The arousal was still there, pulsing between my legs. I screamed and jumped up, my fist racing against the tree, preparing to punch –
The tree winces in pain, followed by laughter.
“Easy, honey.”
It takes me a moment to return to the present. To reality. And understand that what just happened was a dream.
"Is something wrong with the cub?" Torben asks, sitting up behind Finn.
All my men are awake now. Great. I had a nightmare and woke them. They're not going to be happy in the morning. Bears need their sleep, especially now that it's slowly turning colder again. During the summer, they have a lot more energy, but the closer we get towards winter, the sleepier they become. It's cute how cuddly they get when they're tired. Even Torben, my big, fierce polar bear, li
kes to wrap himself around me, holding me, gently stroking my belly.
Right now, it's Finn who's got his hands on what used to be my flat stomach and now resembles a balloon. Or a walrus, as Húnn frequently likes to point out.
"Everything's fine," I mutter, suppressing a yawn. "It was just a bad dream."
Fragments of it still float through my mind. Feelings. Sensations. Heat rises to my cheeks when I remember what exactly happened during the dream. It wasn't a nightmare, not at all. It was actually something quite positive - except that I was craving a man in that dream, a man who wasn't one of my four bears. That’s bad. My hormones are really screwed up right now.
"Tell us about it," Ran rumbles, sounding surprisingly awake.
"It's not important," I say, trying to get them to back down. I really don't want them to know that I... I slip a hand between my legs, trying to be inconspicuous about it. Yes, I'm still wet. Just like in the dream. I can almost still feel the vines around my wrist, his mouth on mine... No, this has to stop.
"What time is it?" I ask, changing the topic. The curtains are so thick that they don't let in any light. Even during the bright of day, the bedroom is completely dark, just how I like it. It's our den, our home, protection from the hostile world outside.
"Early morning," Torben yawns. "It's not really worth going back to sleep."
"I don't want to get up," Húnn complains. "It's nice and warm in here."
He's right about that. Having five bear shifters in one room means it's positively boiling. All of us have a high body temperature, including me. I still can't get used to that. I always used to be cold when I was still human. I hated being outside with less than at least three layers of clothing. Now, I can run around naked without ever feeling chilly.
"I never said we'd have to leave the bed," Torben says and I can almost hear the wink in his voice. He's become a lot funnier and happier since we found out I was pregnant. His gruff manner has softened and he's found a sense of humour that was hidden deep inside before. Same with Ran. He's never talked as much as he does now. Probably practising for talking to a baby.
"I'm not sure..." I begin, and four men are staring at me immediately.
"Is she moving too much?" Finn asks.
Húnn’s eyes are wide open. "Are the contractions starting?"
I have to bite back a laugh. They're so overprotective, it's almost funny. Well, it is. They're turning every tiny problem into a gigantic battle that they need to fight with their macho egos.
Before they can come up with any horror scenarios revolving around our child, I give in and explain. "It's because of the dream I had. It was a bit... erotic."
Finn snickers. "We'd be happy to help make the dream reality. Who of us were you having fun with?"
I blush even more. The moment of truth.
"None of you."
"Well, I guess it can be fun on your own as well," Húnn mutters. "Although it's much more fun if I'm involved."
I take a deep breath. We've sworn we won't have secrets from each other. It was just a dream. I didn't actually do anything in real life. Just a dream.
"There was a man," I begin and suddenly, everything is quiet. "I don't know him, I've never seen him before, but he'd tied me to a tree with vines and I was naked and then he came closer and I really..."
"What, Isla?" Torben asks tonelessly.
"I wanted him," I admit, hating myself for it. "It was like nature was bending itself to his will, like he was controlling the tree that was holding me, like everything was under his spell. Maybe me too, I don't know, but I felt his power and he was calling to me. It wasn't like it is with you, it was different... like a spell."
Now that I've spoken the words, I realise how true they are. I wasn't attracted to him emotionally. It had been like a drugged kind of pull towards him.
"What day is it?" Finn asks suddenly.
"First of November," Ran replies. "Why?"
All eyes turn to the youngest of my men.
"Samhain," he says. "The night of the ghosts and the gods. And I think I know who it was that you saw in your dream. I've heard stories of him seducing young women on Samhain, adding to his power through their sexual energy."
"Who?" Torben growls, the power of the alpha vibrating in his words.
"Pan," Finn explains. "The God of the Wild and of Sex."
"Sex?" Húnn asks with a cough. "Isn't he the guy with the flute?"
Now I remember. At the beginning of the dream, there was music. Soft, gentle music that had beckoned me to the tree. It had made me stand there and take off my clothes. It had been like a command hidden between the beautiful notes. I tell the guys as much and Finn nods.
"My grandma used to tell me about him. She always said how he'd visited her as a young woman on Samhain, showing her true pleasure that no man was ever able to match."
Ran snickers. "Your grandma told you that?"
Finn shrugs. "She was always quite an alternative sort of lady. She loved running around naked to shock the humans in the villages nearby.”
"So what does that mean?" I ask. "Was the dream real or only in my head?"
"Just because it's in your head doesn't mean it's not real," Ran says, surprising me. When did he turn into a philosopher?
"Let's just ignore it." Torben sighs. "I don't want to think of another man desiring our Isla."
Neither do I. Not really. It was a dream, a very wet dream, and I really don't want to continue thinking about it. Now I just need to clean myself up and go back to sleep. Hopefully, without any mind invasions by horny Greek Gods.
I get up with a groan. I'm ready to pop any day now and I am so ready for it. Nine months are far too long to be carrying around a giant thing inside of me. Baby. Cub. Whatever. It takes up space and time. I'll be so happy when it's out of me and becomes my little baby girl. I know it's a girl, I knew that right from the start. I can feel her. Her thoughts are just out of reach, but I can already glimpse her beautiful mind. She's strong, my little cub, and she'll do us proud. No doubt about that. But first, she has to decide to finally get out of me and give me my body back.
"What are you doing?" Torben asks.
"I need the loo. And freshen up a little."
I don't say that I really want to wipe away all the wetness between my legs. It reminds me of Pan, if that really was him. I want to be wet because of my men and not because some God thought it would be fun to take advantage of Samhain and play with a woman who isn't his. No thanks.
Ran gently puts his hands on my back and pushes me up. They're used to me needing a little help nowadays. It's like I've turned into a walrus shifter with a belly twice the size of the moon.
I waddle towards the bathroom, but Torben's voice stops me.
"I can smell you."
I turn, totally not surprised. Even when human, we retain some of our excellent bear senses. In this case, though, that's a disadvantage.
"Don't go."
His voice is that of the alpha, more command than plea. Even though technically, I'm the one in charge, but I let him do this alpha thing. It turns me on, most of the time.
"I want to get clean," I explain, but he's already jumped off the bed and kneels down in front of me. I'm wearing only a light nightdress, anything else would be too cumbersome in my current situation. Torben gently lifts it up, exposing the thighs that I haven't seen in ages, and further up, until a cool waft of air hits my core.
"Hold it," he commands and I take the rim of the dress, not sure whether I want this or not. I probably do. Inside of me, my ovaries are dancing. When I first got pregnant, I didn't want the guys anywhere near me, although that was mainly due to having the most horrific morning sickness. Then, I became horny as fuck, spending most of the day naked and with at least one of the guys. The past month, I've been feeling too big to even remotely think of sex. Even moving around takes too much effort. If I could, all I'd do is sit on the big armchair in the living room and let my men serve me. Which is what's actually happe
ning. Having four men at my disposal means that one of them can always be around me while the others go hunting, foraging or sleep.
Torben's tongue stops me from thinking. He licks the spot just beneath my belly, where the stretch marks have started colouring my skin. I'm quite glad I can't see them from here, only in the mirror.
"Spread your legs a little."
I suck in a deep breath and do as he says. I guess cleaning can be done in other ways than just the boring washcloth method.
When his tongue hits my clit, I grab his shoulders and lean on him heavily. Immediately, two of the others are by my side, offering themselves to be my crutches. Wrong word. My shining knights in armour. Better.
Torben begins to suckle, drawing my folds into his mouth, applying just the right amount of pressure. I wrap my arms around Húnn and Ran, hoping they won't let me fall. My legs are quivering already and shivers are running up and down my arms. Torben is a master at this, which is why I let him do it, even now when I didn't think I'd want to have sex. He makes me forget that I look like a beached whale.
"Let's take this to the bed," Finn chuckles. I look up and grin as I see that he's already naked, stroking his cock as he's watching us. He pats the mattress beside him with his free hand. "Come over here so I can help."
"Yes, I think that will be more comfortable for all of us," Húnn says with a small laugh.
They haven't realised how close I am to coming. The dream combined with Torben's skills have brought me close to the edge. If I move now, it's going to be too late. I think Torben realises and he increases his pace, flicking his tongue over my clit while slowly inserting a finger. Even though it's only the one, it makes me explode in a chorus of moans. I let my men catch me as my legs finally give in, quivering too hard from the orgasm still ripping through me. Torben doesn't let go of my thighs, his mouth still glued to my core. He laps up my wetness like a dog - or a bear. He's called it honey before, although I can't say I understand the comparison. I certainly don't think I taste like honey, not in the slightest. It's too salty for that.
