Alphas Unwrapped: 21 New Steamy Paranormal Tales of Shifters, Vampires, Werewolves, Dragons, Witches, Angels, Demons, Fey, and More

by Michele Bardsley

  He’s relaxed; the pain of Cecily’s death fades to the background. I’m facing the water and it hits my breasts while V stands behind me. He washes me from my feet to my neck. Only half of my hair is wet. I lean my head forward and allow the water to drench it. I move back and push my hair out of my face, just as V’s hands cup my breasts and his fingers squeeze my nipples.

  “I don’t plan on being gentle,” he says against my neck.

  I was wrong about him being relaxed. His power fills the room, and my tiger takes notice. “I don’t want gentle,” I say on a slow breath.

  He jerks me away from the water, turns me, and slides his hands to mine before lifting my arms above my head. I’m facing the wall and I place my palms flat on the tiles. “Keep them there,” he whispers roughly. He grabs a large chunk of hair at my nape, and pulls my head to the side so my neck is exposed. His fangs pierce the skin, and a heavy moan escapes me. The fingers of his other hand go back to my breast and he pinches one nipple, hard. His fangs and hand cause a current of need to travel straight down between my thighs. I need more, but remain silent and take what he gives me. He needs to do this his way. Deep inside me, my tiger purrs.

  His hand leaves my nipple and travels down to trace circles around my belly. He pushes my lower body back, and uses one of his legs to widen my stance. I don’t say a word as my breathing grows heavier. My ass is arched toward him, and he holds me like this without moving as he drinks my blood. I groan in frustration.

  “Shh,” he whispers inside my head. His hand leaves my waist and he slides it down over my hip until he reaches under my thigh, and lifts my leg so my foot rests on the lip between tub and tile. He removes his teeth from my throat and scrapes them down across my shoulder. I suck in air as his erection suddenly drives into me.

  Deep.

  His power rises even higher. My entire body burns with need. I want to jerk his hair and bring him back to my throat, but my hands stay flat to the wall.

  He thrusts hard. He’s released my hair, and his fingers clench my hips and hold me still as he pounds into me. I cry out, but he doesn’t stop and I don’t want him to. His teeth are back at my throat, and I barely feel when he pierces the skin again. I can’t move. I have nothing to hold on to, so I ride out the intensity of him filling me again and again. The sound of our bodies joining is louder than our breathing. My lower body clenches and a growl leaves my throat.

  He speaks into my mind again. “Don’t fucking move,” he demands. I couldn’t, even if I wanted to. My tiger needs this. She needs his dominance.

  I can’t hold back, and my body explodes in a pulsing current that rides his power. I cry out, and he keeps thrusting deep until finally his loud groan fills the small room. I rest my head against the cool tile and try to calm my breathing. He kisses my throat and slowly takes my arms, bringing them down as he turns me around. His lips slam against mine, and I drown in the afterglow of our need. My tiger is purring into his mouth as he ravages me with lips, tongue, and teeth.

  When he lifts his head, his eyes are the deepest amber I’ve ever seen. “Thank you,” he whispers.

  My tiger is replete and lazy, but she knows this feeling of completion he brings won’t last. He cannot give you a baby.

  I go to my tiptoes and join my lips to his. Life is too cruel, but I’ll take what I can for as long as we have.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Rondy the Romantic

  We go out for breakfast, and Esha eats both of our meals. I slowly fill her plate with my food so no one notices that I don’t eat. I drink a few sips of water and watch her enjoy the food. Even though she ate both meals, she tells me she’s still hungry when we leave. We sleep for a few hours and then I order four large pizzas. If that doesn’t satisfy her, I’ll order more. The delivery arrives, and I notice her staring at the top of the box. It’s green and red with a Christmas tree. It’s decorated for the holiday season that began two weeks ago.

  She traces her hand over the box.

  “Have you ever celebrated Christmas?” I ask her. I always hated the holidays because it meant nothing to my mother. The other kids, even in the poverty-stricken area where we lived, received gifts. My mother never took the time or energy to sign me up for free presents from local charities. But men were more generous to her during the holidays, so she bought more drugs. These are not good memories.

  “I love the story of the baby in the manger,” Esha breaks into my thoughts and keeps her eyes turned down to the top of the box.

  Of course she would love that story.

  I step closer and rest my hand on her shoulder. “We’ll find a solution. I won’t let you go.”

  Her eyes rise and she offers a small smile. “We will.”

  I see no faith in her eyes. “Eat, so your tiger doesn’t eat me,” I say to try to lighten the mood.

  ***

  We leave the hotel as soon as the sun goes down. It’s much colder, and will be colder still. It doesn’t bother me, and Esha tells me if she stays fed, she can handle it. We stay another day in a hotel off the highway and sleep after eating breakfast. She wants pizza again for lunch, and that makes me laugh. I order six.

  We reach my apartment early the following morning. I’m trading my bike for my SUV that’s sitting in my assigned parking space. We’ll rest for another day, and then leave for the cabin to join the clan the following evening. I have a strange need to be with them. I want to be sure they’re safe and content. I guess this is normal, but it’s not something that’s been explained to me. After about ten years, the other American vamps gave up on me ever establishing a clan. It most definitely wasn’t something I searched for.

  “Come on, sleepyhead,” I tell Esha early that evening. “I want to take you on a date.” She’s lying naked on her stomach in my double bed, and it’s hard not to climb back in with her. We’ve made love more times than I can count, and I still desperately crave her body.

  “Mmm, a date. Is that what Americans do to seduce women? Because you already did that.”

  I slap her ass because it’s too much to resist. “Exactly. I wine and dine you and then fuck you.”

  She rolls over and smiles. “Could we skip the first part of that and go directly to the last?” she replies with a bit of sass.

  I could watch her lying naked like this for hours. “No, I want to buy you a dress and take you for a nice rare steak.”

  She growls and jumps from the bed. We hit the shower and leave the apartment an hour later. She’s in pants and a T-shirt, but I want to see her in a sexy dress and high heels. What can I say? I’m a guy.

  Every girl should have a little black dress, but with Esha’s skin, white accents her beauty to perfection. We find a dress that is gathered at the left shoulder with a black clasp. Black beading around the neckline adds to the allure. The slim skirt is cut high on the right and trails down past her knee on the left. When she walks, the top of her right thigh is revealed. It’s perfect. I enjoy women dressed in beautiful clothing and have purchased my share. Nothing compares to finding this dress for Esha.

  And the heels. They’re four-inch black patent-leather pumps. Because of the weather, I buy her a white floor-length wool coat. We go back to the apartment so we can dress. I own several dark suits. I put on a black silk shirt and a black tie, to go along with my favored Goth persona. Money opens doors, and my dark, shadowed eyes don’t stop me from entering the world of society’s wealthy.

  I have a monthly allowance from the American vampire coalition. It’s more than I could ever spend in many lifetimes. It’s how I purchased the property in the Rocky Mountains.

  I drive Esha to a steakhouse that I’ve never been to, because I don’t eat and my human dates would notice. I usually take the women to nightclubs for drinks and dancing. I live three lives—Rondy the college student, Rondy the young entrepreneur, and V the killer. Esha is the first woman to see more than one side of me.

  I kiss her gently before leading her to the SUV. Her hand trembles wit
hin mine. “I promise you’ll have a good time.” She gives me a tentative smile.

  She is silent for the first ten minutes of the drive. “Why do you wish to go out on this date?” she finally questions.

  I don’t want to tell her the truth, but she deserves it. “I plan to find a way around you needing a child. If I can’t, I want us to experience as much as possible together.”

  There’s a hitch in her breath at my honesty. “Thank you.” She takes my hand and squeezes. “We will find a way.”

  We will. One way or another.

  The restaurant is decorated for Christmas. A large tree with silver decorations sparkles with white lights. The maître d’ stops, and waits as Esha admires the Christmas tree. I don’t mind. Her face shines in the sparkling light. She’s beautiful and lust rises inside me. I should have made love to her before we came here. I thought waiting would make tonight’s joining all the better. Now I will suffer for the next two hours. No nightclub for us. I want her in bed. Goddess, I’d tie her there for the next week if my urge to check on my new clan wasn’t nibbling at the edge of my mind.

  I order two rare steaks with all the fixings. Also a bottle of red wine. We start with salad, and when she has finished most of hers, I switch plates. She asks me about my college classes. She saw the books in the apartment, and I know she’s been curious. I find myself talking about all the things I’ve learned and the enjoyment I get out of it. She’s a rapt audience. She tells me about her lessons taught by Mother and Grandmother.

  Our steaks arrive and Esha slowly inhales. I love seeing her small nose take in the scents around us; the look of lust in her eyes makes this time especially sweet. Not lust for me, but for the meat that’s cooked or, maybe I should say, uncooked, to perfection.

  She eats small pieces and savors each one. I think it pains her to eat the asparagus and baked potato. She’s like a child who doesn’t like her vegetables. I switch plates. I’ve cut up some of my meat, and this is what she goes for first. I sip my wine and enjoy watching her. She smiles now and then, but doesn’t speak. The only thing missing are jewels at her throat and ears. A ring would be nice, too, and I’ll rectify that as soon as I can be more than a foot or two away from her. I’d like to see her expressive face when I give her gifts.

  We leave the restaurant an hour later. I think both of us are impatient to get home. On the drive, we pass a large church. There’s a tall steeple, and the grounds are lit up with decorative lights. I turn around because of what I notice on the side lawn. I park and help her from the car. I button the top of her coat and kiss her lips softly. I take her hand and walk her to the large Christmas display. Her lips tremble when she sees where we’re heading.

  The manger is large and made of wood, the artwork intricate. Esha releases my hand and slowly unbuttons her coat. I don’t know what she’s doing, but I remain quiet. She hands me the coat and lifts her dress up past her knees. She kneels on the ground and lowers her head. I stand, watching her as she prays. This is not our religion, but I know she’s been taught as I have. The Goddess is not jealous of other beliefs. She understands that religion is powerful, regardless of the deity. It took me years to understand and accept vampire and beastkind beliefs. We don’t fit into the Christian beliefs, yet we are part of their world.

  Peace settles over me while Esha prays. I would swear the Goddess is listening. I offer my own silent prayer to her. I can’t lose Esha. No, I won’t lose her. If the worst happens, we will go together.

  When Esha finishes her prayers, I help her stand and place the coat back around her shoulders. She doesn’t look at me while we walk back to the car. I can actually smell her salty tears. “We will find a way,” I whisper. She remains quiet, and I wonder if I shouldn’t have stopped to look at the manger.

  I help her into the SUV. A few minutes later she speaks. “I wish to go home.”

  My gut tightens.

  “No, not India; your home, where Mother and Grandmother wait for us.”

  I turn the car around and don’t bother heading back to the apartment. I want to go home, too.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Esha

  We drive straight through without stopping. V pulled heavy sunglasses from the glove compartment, and continued to drive even when the sun came up. Our mood has changed, and I don’t know what to do to return the peace we enjoyed at the restaurant. I fall asleep, wondering how my mate manages to stay awake.

  I wake when his hand touches mine. I give him a sleepy smile after he flashes his. “We’ll be home in about thirty minutes. As soon as the sun goes down, regardless of the calamity awaiting us, we are going for a hunt so you can shift.”

  My smile grows, and now I’m wide awake. The clock says it’s just after three in the afternoon. I inhale deeply, and look out the window at the surrounding scenery. The trees are so tall I can’t see the tops of the ones along the side of the road. This area isn’t paved, and I can’t believe I slept through the bumps we’re traveling over.

  “It’s beautiful,” I tell him.

  “I knew one day I would make a permanent home here. I had the remodel done last summer, and added a bunkhouse that’s about a hundred yards from the main house.”

  “I can feel your wolf, Treson.”

  V laughs. “He’s not happy, and he’s not speaking to me at all right now. It seems he’s not getting along with Letta.”

  I can’t help but laugh with him. Treson and Letta are both wolves. They are most likely having dominance issues. Treson and V are close, and I hope Treson and I don’t have the same problem. My tiger is alpha. Mother and Grandmother know this. They are beta. It made for an interesting childhood.

  The road grows narrower and the trees thicker. The house comes out of nowhere, nestled within the trees. I can barely make out the bunkhouse. The house is like a hidden treasure in the middle of the forest.

  Mother and Grandmother have not intruded with their thoughts, and I know it’s to give me and V time alone. They most likely told Letta to keep her thoughts to herself, too. Treson is different. His anger is a thick fog in part of my brain.

  “This should be fun,” V says after he turns off the engine. He’s obviously getting information from Treson.

  Letta charges out the door before V helps me from the car. He puts his hand out. “No. We are tired, and we are heading straight to our room. Save it. As soon as the sun goes down, you will have your say.”

  “But,” she says.

  V’s eyes go amber, and Letta backs away. The man who must be Treson takes one step out the front door.

  “Treson, this is my mate, Esha. You will be formally introduced later. Get the fuck out of my head for the next few hours, or you won’t like the consequences.”

  Treson jumps from the porch and strides toward the bunkhouse. He mumbles under his breath the entire way. I’m worried about V and the sunlight. He hasn’t slept, and needs to be in a dark room. Mother and Grandmother wait just inside. They hug me and send us up the stairs to the upper floor. V actually stumbles, so I wrap my arm around him.

  “I’m such a big, bad vampire, and I can barely walk.”

  “Do you often tell yourself that you are big and bad?” I ask.

  “I must remind myself constantly,” he says with humor.

  After he slams the bedroom door, he tosses his jacket on the floor and falls into bed. I remove his shoes and socks after I take off my coat. I pick up his jacket and lay it on a long dresser. “Get your clothes off and come here,” he demands in a sleepy voice.

  I undo the shoulder clasp of the dress, and it slides down to the hardwood floor. I pick it up and neatly lay it over V’s jacket. I laugh when he grumbles about taking too long and me being too far away. I’m only about three feet from him, but I feel the pull just as strongly as he does. I climb onto the bed and he grumbles again.

  “I meant everything. Roll over.”

  I do as he says. He unhooks my bra, removes it, and slides my panties down my legs. I help him remove his
shirt and pants. He pulls me to his chest and falls asleep a few seconds later. I slept in the car, but I’m still tired, so I close my eyes and breathe in my mate.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Rondy the Master

  “Must we leave the bed?” Esha pleads.

  I slide strands of her hair between my fingers. “I expect the door to break down in a matter of minutes, so I think we should.”

  She rolls over and her delectable breasts catch my attention. “I need to shower.”

  That settles it. “Treson and Letta can wait.”

  The smile she gives me encourages me to lift her from the bed, and carry her, giggling, into the bathroom. I put her down so she can look around while I run the water.

  “It’s wonderful.” Her eyes are locked on the large oval tub, with jets and a small waterfall on the side.

  “If we get in there, we won’t be out for hours. I promise after we hunt, we’ll enjoy a long bath.”

  She pouts so prettily, I almost change my mind. I can feel Treson pacing the floor outside our room, and know we need to hurry or he will literally be joining us. I’m surprised he gave in so easily earlier. He usually argues over everything.

  We don’t have much time, but I’ll be damned if I don’t taste my mate before we appear before the others. I’m starved for blood and her luscious body. We’re quick, too quick, and I make a silent promise that we will enjoy hours of uninterrupted sex tonight.

  Someone put away Esha’s clothing from India, and she dresses in a light green sari. It’s beautiful and she looks lovely in it. I’m not sure what I prefer her in—jeans and a shirt, an elegant gown, or her native clothing. No, that’s not true. I prefer her in nothing.