After hugs and good-byes, Ari, Megan, and Sophia left and Kenna carried Styrr to bed, Gunnar following.
As she climbed under the covers and cuddled close to her mate, she was overcome with the blessings she’d been given. She’d waited a long time for Gunnar, but he was more than worth the wait, and she was forever grateful.
“I’ve waited a long time for you too, elskan.”
Kenna giggled. “Much longer than me.”
He patted her bottom and kissed her temple. “Are you calling me aged?”
“I would never say that... out loud.”
Gunnar rolled her onto her back and hovered above her. “I think I need to show you what this old man can do.”
She gasped as he cupped her breast. “Yes, please.”
Gunnar made love to her and she was swept away by a perfect Christmas wish come true.
The End
About Tracey
I was born and raised in New Zealand. With an American father, Scottish grandmother, and Kiwi mother, it’s no doubt I have a unique personality.
After pursuing my American roots and disappearing into my time travel series, The Civil War Brides, I thought I’d explore the Scottish side of my family. I have loved delving into the Cauld Ane’s and all their abilities… I hope you do too.
I’ve been happily married and gooey in love with my husband for more than twenty years. We live in the Pacific Northwest with our two sons.
I hope you’ve enjoyed Bound by Joy
For other titles in the Cauld Ane Series,
or to learn about The Civil War Brides Series, please visit:
www.traceyjanejackson.com
Find me on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/traceyjanejackson
Twitter:
@traceyjanejaxn
Choices
Immortal Protectors
Amazon Bestselling Author
Hildie McQueen
Pink Door Publishing
Cover Artist: Robin Ludwig Design Inc.
Editor: Gayla Leath
Copyright Hildie McQueen 2015
All rights reserved. No part of this ebook may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means—except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews—without written permission. This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this ebook with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each reader. If you’re reading this ebook and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return it to your retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarities to real persons, living or dead, are purely coincidental and not intended by the author.
CHAPTER ONE
THANKS TO THE streetlights, Roderick Bronan could see what went down clearly. Not everyday one got to witness a sex against the wall scene. His Gore-Tex biker boots crunched noisily on the gravel as he moved closer. Queue the loud throat clearing. Nope the couple was too busy going at it and didn’t hear him approach.
The blue tinge of the males skin was a clear giveaway. A dark Fae, or more commonly called a demon. Shit, sometimes killing one could be awkward. Like right now for instance. Did he clear his throat again and allow the couple to disengage before striking down the male? Or maybe behead the fucker while he was in full throttle. Either way it would probably send the female into hysterics.
Shit.
The woman moaned, definitely enjoying the tryst. “What are you doing?” his partner’s voice hissed in his earpiece.
Roderick moved away from the couple. Other than some pretty gritty sex, the male was not feeding on the woman. She wasn’t in danger at the moment. “I’m trying to decide when to kill a demon. Before or after they get off.”
Cynden Fraser’s Scottish accented voice came across loud and clear. “I hate when that happens. Why don’t people get a room? Heading your way now, nothing much going down over here.”
Instead of watching the action, Roderick stalked around the corner and leaned on the building. He pulled his headphones on and instants later Dr. Dre’s voice boomed in his ears. Who would have thought a centuries old Spartan would be listening to rap at night while stalking around the moonlit streets of Atlanta hunting monsters that came out to kill, fuck or just cause trouble when needing to feed.
Then there was the messed up realization humans, his original race, were more like cattle upon which others preyed. And wasn’t that a bitch?
That he could separate himself from all of them, human or otherwise was sometimes good. Sure he was immortal and from a people that no longer existed, but first and foremost he’d been human. Funny what centuries of living did to a person.
Out of the corner of his eye his partner came into view. Spitting out sunflower seed shells as he scanned the side streets. No one would be stupid enough to bother the huge Scot. Blond with icy blue eyes, he’d never be mistaken for anything other than a badass biker.
Roderick cut off his beats and waited for Cyn to approach. As his partner passed the side street, the Scot peered in and his eyebrows hitched. His lips twitched as he approached Roderick. “Damn they’re having a good time. Too bad for them, it’s about to be interrupted.” He motioned with his head across the street where a patrol car pulled up and two officers got out.
With purposeful strides, the cops crossed the street toward the couple.
Other than a wary glance in their direction, the boys in blue continued on toward the still oblivious sex duo.
Cyn laughed. “Someone must have reported them. Good citizens trying to get a good night’s sleep and what do they hear? Sex noises outside their window.”
Roderick nodded. “A head banging against the glass is sure to interrupt a good slumber. Check that out.” He watched a new scene unfold across the street. Dark figured intruders climbed through a second story window.
“Why would anyone break into an abandoned warehouse? Hmmm, maybe it’s a party. I’m hurt we didn’t get invited.” Cyn continued rambling as they went around the back of the industrial looking building. “Could be one of those clubs that fly under the radar. Gotta love the Atlanta nightlife.”
“Shut up Cyn,” Roderick whispered as they approached from the dark alleyway.
“Shutting.”
“Too many of them,” Roderick said. They looked through a half broken dirty window.
A couple dozen demons congregated inside. They’d collected old couches and tables. Not seeming comfortable, they moved around the large room not speaking to each other. Instead they appeared to be waiting for some sort of announcement.
“Looks like some sort of meeting,” Cyn whispered. “I’ll buzz Thor and the Moor.” He jogged away to make the call.
***
Thanks to their keen night vision, darkness was their friend. Not only did the world become clearer, but also every action seemed magnified, as if slower. As the Protectors burst through the doorway into the large dank warehouse, chaos broke out.
Swords were drawn, the sounds of metal slashing out of scabbards resounding as if choreographed. The flashes of the meager light reflected off the long blades adding to the ambience of danger and beauty. It was a dark beauty, which could only be appreciated by killers and fighters.
Thor’s battle roar echoed louder than the curses and groans of pain. Roderick’s long silver hair sailed around him as his sword sliced through a demon that rushed him. Just as a demon went to cut Cyn down, the stealthy Moor, whose presence had yet to register to most of the fighters, took it down.
Outside a car drove by, its loud thumping of the bass speakers filtering into the room; the bumps of each drumbeat sending vibrations into the empty warehouse. Cyn growled as he pulled his broadsword from the chest of a demon and lifted it up across his face to deflect a strike.
From across the room Roderick met Thor’s luminescent gaze for a second, both turned to the side and simultaneously cut down demons, then looked back at each other and grinned like idiots.
Roderick crossed the space and scanned to ensure they’d not missed anything. Thor looked past him to where Cyn fought three. “Should we help him?”
“Nah, he needs the training,” Roderick replied, but kept an eye on his partner to ensure he wasn’t in trouble. “Looks like he’s down to two now.”
Thor nodded, attention on a nasty gash on his left shoulder. “One of the bloody bastards got lucky.”
“Getting slow Viking?”
“Fuck you.” Thor frowned. “Where’s the Moor? He better not have left me.”
“Rode bitch?”
“Hell no. We were out in his Jeep. Night off, were about to have dinner.”
It was hard to picture a Viking and a silent Moor out to dinner. Maybe a biker bar, or a diner, but he couldn’t picture them at Olive Garden.
Cyn neared, his chest expanding and contracting with each breath. “You fuckers could have given me a hand.”
Thor shrugged and Roderick attempted not to laugh. “Yeah? We figured you had matters under control. Thor got sliced, so I was checking on him.”
“Whatever; since when did you become Florence Nightingale?” Cyn stalked away. “We need to get rid of any bodies left.”
With daggers fisted they struck every demon in the chest. Immediately each one evaporated; blue smoke the only evidence they’d existed. Well, that and the smell, a combination of rotted eggs and tar.
They hurried through a now doorless entryway. Roderick took a deep breath when they walked outside. “That’s some awful shit.”
A black Jeep pulled up and Cyn neared it. The Moor, with long dreads and a scowl, hitched his chin in greeting. It was the closest to a bright smile they’d ever get from him.
“Hey. Where you going to eat?” Cyn was oblivious to the Moor’s scowl. “I’m hungry.”
Thor answered for his partner. “We were heading to an all night diner. He likes one of the waitresses.”
The comment earned him a scowl. Other than the facial expression, silence as usual.
“I don’t think we need to be around anyone right now. We stink.” Roderick told them.
Cyn nodded. “True. I’m thinking we’re more along the lines of ordering pizza right now.”
Roderick looked back to the building. “They’re organizing. Never seen so many coming together. We should let Julian know.”
“Maybe it was a one time thing,” Cyn said but by his lowered brows, he’d thought the same thing as Roderick.
Thor let out a groan. “That’s all we need. If hundreds of them get organized, we’re screwed.”
The truth was stark at times.
CHAPTER TWO
ATLANTA HOLIDAY TRAFFIC was a killer. Rachel Andrews held her breath and floored the accelerator to get from in between two tractor-trailers. Her cell phone chirped and she hit the answer key on her steering wheel while watching a car zigzag between two other cars in an attempt to get to the nearest exit.
“Hello.”
“Hey girl, did you make it out of town yet?” Her best friend Deborah’s voice came over the car speakers. In the background she could hear the hum of voices and jazz. Her friend worked part time at a local club as a bartender on weekends. It made Rachel smile to know the PhD liked to spend her days off pouring drinks. “Hellooo?” Deborah repeated.
“Hell no I’m not out of town. It’s bumper-to-bumper traffic. I’m barely past Alpharetta. I figure another few miles and the traffic should cut down drastically. Not many people go to the wine country for the holidays. This time of year it’s cold and rainy.”
“I still can’t believe you’re going alone. Why would you want to spend Thanksgiving by yourself in a cabin? I’m so sorry I had to cancel, but with my parents visiting from Chicago...”
“Stop apologizing. I’m looking forward to a week in the mountains. I plan to catch up on sleep and reading.”
“Sounds delightful.” There was wistfulness in Deborah’s voice. They talked for a few minutes and by the time her friend hung up the traffic had lightened up considerably.
The setting sun made it hard to see clearly. Rachel dug in her purse with one hand then cursed when the bag fell off the seat and onto the floorboard with all of the contents spilling. Thankfully there was a wide shoulder so she pulled over
Just as she bent to pick up her belongings someone knocked on the window. Rachel jerked upward to see an attractive man standing back, his hands deep in his jeans pockets. He gave her a crooked smile and shrugged as if apologizing for startling her.
There hadn’t been anyone walking on the roadside, she was sure of it. She looked in her rearview mirror but didn’t see a car parked behind her. Her finger lingered over the window controller, but then she figured cracking it a bit to talk to him wouldn’t hurt.
“Sorry to scare you. I broke down and am heading to the next exit for gas. I could use a ride. My girlfriend always leaves the car almost empty.”
Rachel looked to where the next exit sign showed it was a mile further down the road. Not too bad of a walk, but it was drizzling and forty degrees. His hair was wet and his nose red from the cold.
“Look don’t worry about it. I’ll walk. I totally understand you not feeling comfortable with it.” He turned and began walking, his back hunched.
Rachel put the car in drive and pulled up alongside the poor guy. “Come on. I’ll take you, it’s just up the road.”
Once he settled into the seat, he turned to her and held out his hand. “I’m Ryan.”
Something about his gaze made her blink and focus on him. For an instant she’d thought to have seen a red rim around his irises. Probably the setting sun. Rachel looked to her side mirror to pull back onto the road when all of a sudden Ryan bent forward and groaned.
“Are you all right?” Rachel touched his shoulder. “Please don’t tell me you’re going to throw up in my car.”
“No. I’m not going to do that, but you might.”
Moments later as she faced certain death, two thoughts struck Rachel Andrews. Her mother’s warning to never pick up hitchhikers and…well I’ll be damned, monsters really do exist.
With amazing speed, razor sharp talons slashed through her seatbelt and the hellish creature dragged her between the seats toward the back seat. Rachel struggled to grip on to something, anything.
He was too strong.
Her scream echoed in the car. She continued to yell even though she knew with the windows up and barely any traffic passing them now, no one would hear her. One thing was for certain, she didn’t plan to die this day. Rachel used every strike she’d learned in self-defense class, but the monster didn’t seem to feel any pain or discomfort. His red eyes remained focused on her throat. In desperation, she continued to scratch and kick at her assailant without avail.
As he pushed her down onto the seat, Rachel continued to fight until so exhausted she was barely able to lift her leaden arms. Forcing her body to relax for a moment, she concentrated on catching her breath and not allowing fear to cloud her mind. Maybe she could still survive.
Red-rimmed eyes scanned over her face making every inch of her skin crawl. At the same time his claws cut into her left shoulder, pinning her to the back seat.
“Pl-please take my car and my purse…but don’t kill me.” Her words were a hoarse rasp working past the constriction on her throat by his other hand.
His lips peeled back to reveal elongated fangs. With a stifled gulp, she recoiled further into the leather seat.
“Oh but those last drops of blood when life ebbs out of your body are the sweetest. You don’t expect me to deny myself of that would you?” Saliva dripped from his incisors. His horrifying gaze focused on her throat next and with a primal growl, he shoved her face to the side.
When the demon’s teeth broke her skin, a desperate scream tore deep from
within her chest. Survival instincts kicked in and once again she began to kick and punch at the demon. Her feeble attempts to shove him off didn’t seem to register and his hold remained tight. It fed with greed, each pull of her blood bringing her closer to death.
Suddenly the creature evaporated. A thick blue mist took its place and the smell of something like rotted eggs engulfed the interior of the car.
Through the haze of tears and smoke, a huge figure loomed over her.
Whether real or a hallucination brought on by her brain as an escape mechanism when she neared death, Rachel wasn’t sure. Striking silver eyes met hers, matching long hair framed the angelic man’s face.
“Can you hear me?” His deep voice resonated and his fingers pressed against her throat. Was he feeling for a pulse? “It’s going to be all right. I’m here to take you to safety.”
Rachel couldn’t reply, but her mind was awhirl. For the first time in four years, she’d taken vacation from the library to make it only a few miles away from home, to the outskirts of Atlanta.
Later perhaps it would strike her as interesting what her last thoughts were. She should have stopped by to see her mother, the only person she hated leaving. Why had she not made plans to spend the holiday with her instead? Or stopped by to see her one last time? Her mom would be desolate and alone without her.
Rachel’s vision began to fade, if only the searing pain at her throat would fade too. The burning at the spot where the demon fed brought a shudder. God make it stop.
The male before her had to be Death; he’d come for her. She was dying—the sooner the better. Then the agony would stop.
The large angel of death began to blur. It was her time and she prepared herself. Would he take her away immediately? Who would notify her mother? Oh God, would it hurt? She opened her mouth to ask him questions, but instead a fog fell.
Alphas Unwrapped: 21 New Steamy Paranormal Tales of Shifters, Vampires, Werewolves, Dragons, Witches, Angels, Demons, Fey, and More Page 146
