Romancing the Paranormal

by Stephanie Rowe

  She soon realized what the taste was.

  “What the hell?”

  Her fingers slid across her lips, and she peered at the glistening red blood that transferred onto them. Her eyes moved to his. He blinked slowly and smiled. She didn’t smile back. Instead, she glowered at him.

  “Did you feed me your blood, vampire?”

  Chapter Nine

  Images of her mouth pressed against Bane’s skin, nibbling and sucking at the flesh there, bombarded Sonnet’s thoughts. She surged upright, out of his lap, landing light and steady, like a cat.

  My God, I feel great! Like a million bucks!

  If it weren’t for the fact that it wasn’t playtime, but rather, track-down-the-monster-and-kill-him time, she would’ve been doing cartwheels. And she knew she had Bane’s blood to thank for the extra boost of strength and energy. And that pissed her off.

  Bane pushed to his feet in one fluid motion. It reminded Sonnet of a snake lifting up from a tight coil. His movements were that natural and effortless. She had a hunch that his strike could be just as honed—deadly.

  Sonnet felt a rush of power, her own power, as inherent instincts pulled her towards the condemned building. She ignored the impulse and focused instead on the vampire who was shaking his head and brushing dust from his jeans. Was that shake in reference to her? Probably.

  “Yes,” Bane said, dragging a hand through his hair. “I did feed you some of my blood. I did this only to save you.”

  Sonnet was so not down with becoming a vampire.

  “Holy hell! Does that mean I’m gonna turn into a blood-suckin’ creature of the night?”

  She cringed at the thought of biting into someone’s neck and having to consume blood. Blech! Repulsive. She stuffed a finger inside her mouth and felt around.

  “You better hope I don’t find fangs, buddy, or you’ll be the first person I bite.”

  Bane’s lips compressed into an exasperated line.

  “I would never convert someone without their consent. But yes, woman, I did heal you, and you’re just going to have to deal with that.”

  She blinked at him several times, realizing that she had been rude, in light of the situation. He did just give up a pivotal part of himself to ease her pain.

  “I guess I should probably thank you.”

  “The thought did cross my mind.”

  She closed the few feet between them, reached out, and gave him an awkward pat on the shoulder. Bane lifted a brow and smiled.

  “Thank you.”

  Bane’s hand came down over hers, skin against skin, as he held it flat on his shoulder. She could detect the throb of her pulse pick up as she felt the contour of his muscles underneath the flimsy fabric of his shirt. She noticed heat flare within her at his touch.

  Leaning in close to her ear, he said, “Believe me, little fox, it was my pleasure.”

  His tone sent an extreme spike of arousal coursing through her system. That, paired with the flame spreading from their touch, had the kindling of her control burnt down to embers. Fortunately, he chose that second to pull away.

  “I need to give you something before we enter the city.”

  Shaking off the lingering effects of his charm, she said, “Wa, huh? Okay.”

  A soft smile stretched his lips.

  “Be right back.”

  When he returned from the car a minute later, he was carrying a brown leather satchel.

  His eyes radiated warmth as they landed on her.

  “This artifact has been in my care for centuries,” he said, holding out the bag.

  Sonnet looked down at it with a grimace. The leather it was made out of was barely worn, and the silver buckles strapping it shut shone like new.

  “Yeah, right. I highly doubt that.”

  Bane’s expression showed his annoyance as his gaze moved to the bag dangling from his grip. After some thought, his features smoothed, and he chuckled.

  “No, love, not the bag. I’m referring to what’s inside it.”

  He unbuckled the strap and pulled opened the leather flap. His hand ducked in and then pulled out something she never expected a vampire to be carrying. It was an instrument that could bring forth his demise—a wooden stake about a foot and a half long, with a tip made of what she assumed to be silver. Bane took a full breath and then held the stake out to her.

  “Here. It’s yours now.”

  Sonnet’s arm all but jerked out and grabbed the stake on its own. She’d always had a thing for weapons, especially ones that could protect her from the monsters she hunted. Embarrassed over her eagerness to obtain it, she turned her head to the side and absently scanned the surrounding landscape, which was nothing more than a bunch of dirt and shriveled-up dead things.

  “Sorry. Sometimes I can be a little... eager.”

  Bane looked at her like she’d just shot up a few levels on the interesting scale.

  “That’s not a bad thing to be.”

  A blush stained her cheeks as she bit her bottom lip. It was an involuntary response to his flirting, which she was getting pretty damn tired of.

  Sonnet reached behind her, tucking the stake between the waistband of her jeans and the bare skin of her back. The cool silver tip pressed hard into her left butt cheek. She was thankful that she’d decided to wear a pair of boy-shorts underneath her clothes, instead of her usual lace or silk panties. The thicker cotton fabric helped to keep the tip from leaving scratches.

  “If you’re finished, I’d like to get a move on. We’re losin’ moonlight.”

  Bane gave a quick nod and lifted the bag.

  “Just let me throw this back in the car first.”

  Chapter Ten

  Sonnet watched as Bane opened the door of the gas station. It creaked and whined under the pressure as he pulled. He turned to look at her, his side profile just as striking as every other view of him. She cursed under her breath, quickly shutting down those types of thoughts before they bloomed into hot vampire fantasies.

  “Come on. We’ll go in this way.”

  She cleared her throat and said, “Yeah, I’m comin’. But I don’t get why goin’ into that rundown heap is gonna accomplish anything other than a severe case of tetanus.”

  He eyed her over his shoulder.

  “Just come on. You’ll see.”

  Sonnet huffed up the three stairs that led to Bane and the collapsing entrance to the building.

  “Can you say somethin’ other than ‘you’ll see’? I’m not big on surprises. They lead me to crappy rundown woodpiles out in the middle of nowhere, with a vampire escort.”

  He swung the door open wide.

  “I understand, but there are some things you have to see to believe.”

  They both walked over the threshold, Bane guiding Sonnet through with a hand at the small of her back. A sudden flash of blue light blinded her, and then a quick pop-pop-pop echoed in her ears. Sonnet almost stopped, but Bane grabbed her around the arm and pulled her with him. When they finally made it through to the other side of the door, her mouth dropped open in surprise at what she saw.

  A roll of fog hindered her view of the ground. Tall trees loomed overhead, lining the dirt path they were standing on. A familiar ache started in her gut, but it didn’t worsen like before. It just pulsed in one place, a subtle warning that vampires were near. Bane’s blood was still working its magic, but she knew its effects wouldn’t sustain the peace forever. Eventually, she’d have to drink more of his blood or get the fuck out of Dodge.

  She swung around, looking for the door they’d just emerged from. It was gone.

  “Where are we?”

  “This is Phantom City, the underbelly of the paranormal world.” He turned to her and gave her a wicked smile. “Welcome to the henhouse, little fox.”

  She wasn’t amused. In fact, she was in shock.

  “Are you tellin’ me that there is an entire hidden city full of vampires... in Alabama?”

  She looked around, stepping closer to Bane, w
hen she heard a rustling in the woods not too far from where they were standing.

  “This is exactly why I freakin’ hate surprises.”

  There was another sound—twigs snapping.

  Watching the spot from which the noises were getting louder, Bane said, “Then, you’re definitely not going to like what I have to say next.”

  Sonnet’s instincts pulled her stare to an opening between two shrubs, several feet away from them. The pulse in her gut thrummed faster. Goddamnit! Something was there, right out of view, hidden behind the wild foliage and trees.

  Bane’s voice got deeper as he said, “It’s not only vampires who inhabit the city.”

  She didn’t take her focus off the spot where she knew a monster was lurking.

  “What are you tellin’ me? What’s in those trees, Bane?”

  Melting from the fog and woods, a pair of blazing gold eyes came into view, followed by a sleek fur-covered body, moving low to the ground. Sonnet went for the stake at her back and pulled it free. Bane’s sudden grin warmed his features, and he chuckled.

  “You’re about to meet your first werewolf.”

  The creature crept its way into the road, the fog circling around its mighty caramel-brown frame, which was three times larger than a regular wolf’s. The beast’s nostrils flared, its glare narrowing in on Sonnet.

  What the hell? Is it starin’ at me?

  Sonnet was amazed and frightened all at once.

  “Werewolves are real?”

  His ears fell to the side of his enormous head, as he suddenly leapt into the air. Seconds later, a naked man landed right in front of Bane and Sonnet. In human form, the wolf was all muscle, with bulging limbs. Sonnet’s gaze dropped, and she found that he was considerably massive in all areas.

  The wolfman’s oval eyes remained gold, a bright hue that matched the highlights in his blonde hair, which was shorter in the back and a bit longer in the front, with wisps that hung in his face. His skin was a warm tan.

  Sonnet took a step back, her silver-tipped stake at the ready. She didn’t know if the weapon could hurt the wolf, but if the beasts of legends existed, then maybe the tales of silver being able to cripple them would stand true, as well.

  The wolfman flared his nostrils again, but that time, his murderous glare was aimed at Bane.

  “You brought a hunter into the city?” He practically spat the word hunter. “Are you out of your fuckin’ skull? How did you get her past the shroud?”

  Bane stepped closer to Sonnet, a deathly twinkle in his eyes overtaking the glint of welcome he’d first held for the wolf.

  “Back up, Kahn. She’s with me. And she’s here, because she has drunk my blood.”

  There were a few tense moments between the two fuming males as they stared each other down. Low growls erupted from all around them, a sure sign of more wolves hiding amongst the trees. Freaked out of her mind, Sonnet glanced towards the forest, but saw nothing.

  “Uh, Bane. I don’t like this place at all.”

  A cocky grin pulled at the corner of Kahn’s mouth.

  “That’s ’cause you don’t belong here, bitch. Your entry through the shroud shoulda killed you.”

  Bane’s fist launched forward, bashing the wolf in the face. Kahn stumbled back a couple steps, but he didn’t fall down. Instead, his stance steadied instantly. A promise of retribution washed over his eyes like a bronzing fog. He looked deadly, ready to deliver his own type of pain. He licked clean the blood forming at the corner of his lip, and with a tempered roar, he bared fang.

  “You better have a fuckin’ good reason for that cheap shot, vampire.”

  Bane’s lips pulled back, showing off his set of fangs.

  “I have claimed the hunter. By law, I have a right to do more to you than just that for your insult. ”

  Kahn’s surprised gaze shot to Sonnet, roaming her body until the golden orbs froze on the ring on her finger—Bane’s ring.

  “You’re a damn fool. Remy’ll hear about this.”

  A tight laugh escaped Bane.

  “Indeed, I plan on telling him about the claiming myself.”

  The sound of a throat clearing rang out behind Sonnet. Startled, she jumped, twisting her neck to glance behind her. She squinted to see the figure of a naked female coming into view. The newcomer approached in shadows, her feet and legs pushing through the fog, each slow step rustling dry leaves. The seductive sway and glide of the silhouette was the embodiment of a soul-drawing succubus, stalking the night for a warm body to dine upon.

  Kahn glanced over Bane’s shoulder, his eyes narrowing at the woman’s appearance. He crossed his thickly muscled arms at his chest and glowered at her.

  “I told you to stay out of sight.”

  His stern voice was much like that of a father or someone in a position of leadership.

  The enchantress moved out of the darkness, which had been hiding most of her distinguishable features. When she was in clear view, the first thing Sonnet noticed was the woman’s short bleached-blonde hair and dark brows that matched her roots—just like someone she knew well.

  “Hi, Vale,” Emely said. “What the fuck are you doin’ here? And where the hell is my bike?”

  Chapter Eleven

  As more howls erupted around Sonnet, she felt a swirl of confused emotions. On one hand, she had a forest full of werewolves, who were probably gnashing their sharp fangs and drooling for a taste of her hide. And on the other, she had her partner in crime standing naked in front her, pretty pissed off over her missing motorcycle.

  She scrambled to make sense of everything—hidden cities, werewolves, hot as sin vampires... And somehow, Emely was caught up in the midst of it all. The latter made her forget the rest, as a more vital question caught in her brain.

  “Your bike is in a safe place, but who gives a shit about that? Why are you here, naked, in a secret monster city?”

  Sonnet couldn’t help noticing that Emely was feeling a chill. Her nipples were hard as rocks, poking out, staring at Sonnet like two googley eyes on a stuffed teddy bear. She quickly stripped her jacket off and held it out to Emely.

  “Speaking of which, would you cover yourself up before one of these howlin’ freaks ogles your goods, or somethin’ worse?”

  Kahn laughed in the background. Sonnet shot him a go to hell look before trying to shove the jacket at Emely again.

  “Take it, damn it.”

  Emely didn’t look amused.

  “My bike better be safe, not a mark on her, Vale.”

  She shrugged away from the jacket and walked over to a patch of tall wild grass, growing under one of the trees. She bent down and rifled through a bag hidden in the scruff of it, and pulled out some clothes.

  “I’ll get dressed if it makes you feel more comfortable. But in this place, clothes aren’t really a necessity for me.”

  Sonnet rubbed her head at Emely’s odd behavior, and then the obvious smacked her dead in the face.

  “You’re a werewolf, aren’t you?”

  “Ding, ding, ding, give the hunter a door prize!” Kahn said, his voice more growl than bark.

  “Zip it, wolf,” Bane said. He stared at Sonnet for several seconds. “Are you okay? I know this has to be hard for you. It’s a shitload of information to digest.”

  Sonnet nodded at him.

  “Did you know? I mean, about Emely?” she asked.

  “I did.”

  Sonnet put her jacket on, zipped it up, and said, “Interestin’. And how come I couldn’t sense her? I am a hunter! You had to give me your blood before bringin’ me here and all.” Sonnet turned her focus on Emely. “Shouldn’t my instincts have gone haywire around you?”

  Emely stiffened, but then continued to get dressed. She pulled a black and white skull sweater over her head and yanked a pair of skinny jeans up over her hips. After slipping on a pair of sneakers, which she left untied, she walked over to stand in front of Sonnet.

  “Look. I’m sorry I kept stuff from you, Vale, but it c
ouldn’t be helped.” She paused and then added, “I drink a special potion before goin’ to work, or if I know I’ll be meetin’ up with you. That’s why you’ve never sensed what I am.”

  “More deceit, then,” she said without heat. “You’re good at hidin’ stuff, Em. I actually believed that we were friends.”

  Emely’s expression softened.

  “We are friends, Vale.”

  “Friends don’t lie to each other.”

  “They do when they have no other choice.”

  Liquid welled under the rims of Sonnet’s eyelids, threatening to spill over. She turned away from her supposed friend, so she could push the waterworks back. The hell if she was going to cry over that. She’d just focus on something else instead, even though the fact still remained that she felt betrayed. She turned back to face Emely, effectively hiding the hurt and anger.

  With a forced smile she said, “Fine, but that makes us even for the whole me takin’ your motorcycle thing.”

  She was going to at least get something out of it. Even if it was just being off the hook for grand theft auto—or would that be grand theft motorcycle?

  Emely said through gritted teeth, “Okay, then. I won’t say another damn word about it. But lettin’ go of this is gonna hurt.”

  As Sonnet raised an eyebrow, she thought, I bet not as much as havin’ a friend lie to your face for three years does.

  “All right, then. You’re a werewolf who lives in another land. I’ll learn to deal with and accept that.”

  Sonnet looked over at Bane; he’d been watching her every move out of the corner of his eye the entire time she and Emely had been chatting.

  “Can we go now?” Sonnet asked, raising her voice loud enough for all to hear.

  Bane’s expression was blank as he nodded, like he was expecting a different reaction from her. But indifference was about all that Sonnet was willing to show or give to them. She smiled. That would teach them to lie to her.

  Kahn grunted at Bane.