Shifters Hallows Eve

by Lori King

  My nerve finally deserts me, and I have turned to slink back to my room when the door to Zeke’s room is suddenly opened in my wake. I freeze and scramble to gather the last vestiges of my now elusive courage, which had initially brought me to this point. Eventually, I turn to find my Zeke filling the doorway with all his masculine glory. Without conscious thought or intent, my gaze travels from his smirking and oh-so-kissable mouth, over the darker tone of his perfectly tantalizing skin, sculpted and well-defined muscles of his bulging biceps, deliciously bite-able pecs, and especially over that deeply grooved six-pack of abdominal muscles that sport a sparse black and curly happy little trail which leads into… neon pink boxer briefs which sport none other than Betty Boop? Really? Betty Boop?

  I don’t even try to stop the delighted giggle that bursts through my lips at the sight of the quintessential vintage hootchie-mama adorning the drawers of my man. Yep, my man. Goofy drawers and all, I have no intention of letting him get away. Never again. I corral and fortify some previously untapped store of bravery, before marching up to stand toe to toe with the nearly naked café au lait Adonis, in truly tasteless underwear. “Nice briefs,” I murmur when his warm and inviting smile tears down the last crumbling brick of my internal defenses.

  “Don’t dis the Boop, now, gal. Betty is one truly fine example of modern womanhood.” His tone is playful, but the all-seeing, obsidian gaze devouring me is lustful and ravenous. He grasps the back of my neck and pulls me to him for a kiss. But kiss is such an inadequate and paltry word to describe what this male does to my mouth. His lips, tongue, and teeth conquer, devour, and dominate me so completely that I quite suddenly find myself weak in the knees. But his strong arm around my waist doesn’t allow me to escape his wanton ravishment so easily.

  As he slows the kiss, I am reluctant for it to ever end. In fact, I crave more. Despite my fervor matching his own, I yelp my surprise when a fang deliberately nicks my lower lip. Zeke eagerly sucks the droplets of my blood from the tiny wound. Surprisingly, I can only moan my pleasure. But my pitiful sounds are drowned out by his growls of ecstasy.

  The sexy as sin rumble of his deep voice vibrates against my swollen lips when he murmurs sinfully about my taste. “Dat’s right. Dat’s what you sue-posed to taste like.” I giggle because he’s slipped into his old Cajun patois once again. After another brief moment of tasting my blood, he pulls back to look into my eyes. “Jenniene, I’ve thought about every single thing you said last night. I’ve dissected every word you uttered and milked every single nuance of expression, sound, and body language from our little heart to heart. And probably just as important, I have recalled everything I have observed since you walked through the front door of my MC, and baby, I gotta tell ya, I want you. I have never wanted you more. But I don’t just want you in my bed or as a friend. I want you as my one true mate from now until these demon-bound bodies of ours give up the ghost.”

  I can only grin like an idiot and nod. He returns my goofy smile with an equally stupid-happy expression before quickly turning somber. My heart stutters in my chest. Yeah, and here comes the BUT… His next words maintain my fragile hope. “Jenniene, listen to this though, baby. I want ya, and Lord willing I’m gonna have ya. But, I’m done with holding back and hiding who I am. Being with me now won’t be like it was back in the day. You understand?”

  I can only nod tentatively. I know he must have hidden a great deal from me before when he was keeping his secret, but I am wondering if I truly have a clue exactly what he kept from me. I quickly realize it just doesn’t matter. I’ve seen so much and survived so much over the intervening years that I am much better able to cope than before. More importantly, I know Zeke’s heart. Whatever ways the wolf and demon manifest themselves in my male’s personality and physical needs, there’s no way on God’s earth I’m gonna walk away from him without honestly trying to be what we were fated to be for each other. I won’t waste the blessing this male is meant to be to me and the world at large. I fully intend to embrace the entire package.

  Apparently, he sees my resolve and reaches out to tenderly trace my jawline with his fingertips before he continues to speak. It seems our private confession time has reconvened in the hallway of the MC’s clubhouse, because he begins to reveals the origins of his condition. “My maman used her magic to bind my very soul to a feral wolf and blood demon to protect me when I was gonna hang for killing that sadistic overseer.” His face hardens at the memory as he explains further. “That nasty bit of white trash was my sire. That man was evil personified. He raped my maman when she was just a young thing and put me in her belly. And every day after that he did his best to find a new way to torture her.”

  I reach up to cup Zeke’s beloved face because I can hear the old pain that hasn’t faded, even after all these years, from my male’s heart. He’s hurting and I need to soothe him. I want to offer him comfort and a connection to me. I need to let him know he’s never going to be truly alone ever again. When Zeke turns his head and sweetly plants a chaste kiss in the palm of my hand, I practically melt into a puddle on the floor at our feet. “That last day I was a slave… he jes’ went too far, mon cher. Jes’ too far. I had to stop him raping and beating those po’ folks who was under his thumb.”

  He chuckles dryly. The sound isn’t pleasant and speaks of a true darkness when he says, “I felt like Moses that day, I was bound and determined to get my people out from under that tyrant’s dominion.” He reaches up and scrubs his face hard with both hands before finishing his confession. “I beat that bastard to death with my bare hands, and I savored every second of it. I found joy in each blow I landed, every bone I shattered, and every organ I eviscerated.” He closes his eyes as though recalling each blow. When he opens them again, I see true regret shining there.

  “I wasn’t in some fugue state where I wasn’t aware of my actions.” Zeke shakes his head emphatically. “I was fully aware and completely deliberate in every action that day. I took a life with malice aforethought and deadly intent.” He smiles sadly, as though dreading my reaction. “It was murder, plain and simple, Jenni. Your fated mate is not only bound to a demon and a wolf by magick, but I’m also a self-confessed murderer.” I simply nod to convey I understand what he’s telling me. Oddly, I feel no trepidation nor judgment at his confession. It simply is what it is. Sometimes evil forces us to take actions we would normally find impossible or abhorrent. I know I’ve done things I never thought I would, all in the name of protecting others. And I know in my heart of hearts, Zeke killed that man to save his mother, and others.

  After a few minutes of silent evaluation. Apparently, he realizes there will be no condemnation from me over his confession. He smiles almost shyly before he tugs me into his room, slamming the door behind us. “Git in here, gal. I gots more you need to know about me before you decide if you wanna stay with me or go back to New Awlins, all by your lonesome.”

  7

  Zeke

  She squeals in surprise when I toss her sweet, sexy lil’ ass on my bed. I push the twisted bedcovers, evidence of my sleepless night, onto the floor with a careless shove. With practiced skill, I grasp my Jenniene’s hands and pin them over her head, as I cover her body with my own, seemingly putting her at my mercy. I’m probably a damn fool, but I can’t help the knowing smirk on my lips when my woman doesn’t put up much of a fight. I’ve watched her take down Ghouls and Vamps over the last few days, and I know she’s not some shrinking violet. If I’m pinning her down so easily, it’s because she’s allowing it.

  Staring at my female, my brain is befuddled by her beauty. I’ve yearned for this woman for so many fucking years. A vain longing, I had believed hopeless, and yet Fate has given me a second chance. I gather both of her hands into one of my own and begin to caress her face tenderly. My dark fingertips trace down her pale throat, over her flawless chest, to trail even lower to tease the swelling flesh of the rounded globes of her breasts, bared by the deep cut neckline of her top. I want to strip her bare, de
vour these hidden treasures, before I fuck her into submission, and I fully intend to do exactly that before we leave this room. I have no intention of letting this female get away from me. Never again. But I have to clear some shit up between us before that can happen. It doesn’t matter if that happens today or six months from now… but we will clear the air and find our way back to each other.

  My voice is low and gravelly from suppressed emotion, and I feel like a pansy ass for allowing my uncertainty and need to show so plainly. The old Joker, maybe even the old Zeke, would just assume she wants me cuz she showed up at my door. But fuck, there’s no room for assuming with this woman. I won’t fuck this up. “When you walked through the MC’s front door, like a spirit arisen from a cold grave, I had to wonder if you were gonna be my salvation or my doom, mon amour.” I tug playfully on an ebony curl as I stare into her beautiful fathomless eyes. I need to know the truth from her own precious lips, so I ask her outright, “Which is you gonna be, Jenniene? Joker’s Trick… or Treat?”

  She bites her bottom lip before retorting, “Hell, I guess that will depend on whether or not Joker plans on hiding from me like he did back in New Awlins.” The way she sneers my club name makes it plain she doesn’t think much of the “new me.” I can’t say I blame her much. I’ve not been the male I should be, but it’s not too late to fix that.

  “What you see right now is what you get,” I assure her quietly.

  I can see she’s skeptical. “Can I really trust that? After all, you hid your true self from me before…”

  My lips form a grim line as I shake my head in denial. “No, sugar, I did not hide my true self from you. Not really.” I rise up quickly to my knees beside her on the bed. I need to break our physical connection so that we are both thinking clearly. The lust and longing we are both experiencing will only cloud matters in this moment.

  I exhale slowly and sit on my feet as I drag my hands over the bristly scruff on my scalp. I really need to take the time to shave my head. I miss the smooth feeling when I rub my own head in deep thought or just to give myself a moment to arrange my truths into cogent thoughts.

  Shaking my head to clear away all distractions, I look down at the woman I have loved for so many, many years and smile gently. “Obviously, I hid the fact that my soul had been touched by a demon and that I needed blood to survive.” Feeling a bit sheepish, I continue in a quiet voice. “Uh…Yeah, and I failed to mention the small fact I shift into a massive brown wolf at will…” I give her my best self-deprecating smile.

  Yeah, I really did keep a lot from her way back when. It’s no wonder she didn’t trust me and sent me away. And yet, she had secrets of her own. But those secrets didn’t change the woman she was on the inside, and I need to make her see the same is true for me. I need to regain her trust, make her see that despite the things I kept hidden, I always let her see the parts of me that counted most. “But the important stuff, the things about me that really matter, the man I am on in the inside, my hopes, my dreams, my values… those things I shared eagerly with you and only you. I shared my heart and the real Zeke with only you, Jenniene. Never doubt that.”

  I can see her mind is working furiously to evaluate every syllable I have uttered, searching for any deception or misdirection. There simply isn’t any deceit or ploy to be found. I’m laying it all out for my woman. Joker doesn’t have any wild cards in this hand. I’m showin’ the hand I was dealt… straight up. “This mask… being Joker… that’s not the face I show you, Jenniene. You see me. The real man behind all the bullshit. You always have. You always will.”

  She rises up to kneel before me on my king size bed, making sure she has my complete attention before speaking again. “Okay, so this is the real Zeke.” I nod. Now it’s her turn to look a bit sheepish. “Well, you aren’t the only one who had secrets back then,” Jenniene whispers thickly, as though tears are clogging her throat. I feel like a weight has been lifted from my shoulders at her admission. I’m prayin’ this means she’s ready to wipe the slate clean and try again… with me. With all our hidden truths finally laid bare to each other.

  Without saying another word, she reaches out to take one of my hands into her own. I eagerly entwine our fingers as I search her face. We sit there searching each other’s souls for a few short moments before she lies back down on the bed, tugging me down to join her. Again, I cover her body with my own before leaning down to kiss her tenderly. I need her to feel our connection, to crave it as much as I do, because we haven’t sorted all our shit out yet. Not by a long shot. But this feels like a really good beginning.

  Her nearness calls out to me, man, beast, and demon alike. I crave this woman as much as I crave blood or giving my beast free reign to roam the night. I need her and I want her to know that. Rocking my hips a bit so she can feel my hard cock pressing into her soft belly, I point out the obvious. “You do this to me, bébé. I still want you. That hasn’t changed. It’ll never change. But there’s more than the hot and naughty sex we used to enjoy together that I need from you. I need to know you are in it all the way this time.” I won’t survive it if she freaks out again and leaves me on my ass. Pushing ahead, I decide to drop the blood-red elephant we’ve been ignoring into the middle of our little tête–à–tête. “You know I need to feed. Regularly.”

  I can see she’s struggling to process this even though it’s something she has known for a long time. I guess knowing a thing, and truly facing all of the ramifications of such a truth, are not always easy to reconcile. As I search the depths of her lovely eyes for a clue as to what she’s thinking, I find myself wondering if it’s the blood I need to survive, or the commitment I need from her that’s giving her pause.

  I can’t change the fact that I need blood, but I can assure her of our connection and my devotion to her. “You are mine, mon amour, just as I am yours.” I lean in and nip her bottom lip. I want a real taste, but I have to wait. I need her total consent, I need to know she really wants me, despite all my bullshit. “Always have been, always will be. The two of us are connected, heart, body, and soul – for good or ill, it’s fait accompli, a done deal. I’ll never knowingly let you down.” I grin wickedly and add, “You’s stuck with me, bébé.”

  My satisfaction soars when she returns my grin and nods her agreement. Eagerly, I forge ahead. Time to help her face my demon side and all that it entails. “I usually put off feeding longer than I should. I hate that I even need it. But in dangerous times like we are facing right now, I feed daily. I won’t fail my brethren or that kid cuz I’m not as strong as I could be. And I sure as hell won’t let you down.”

  I’m chagrined over admitting my need for blood, because it’s always felt like a black mark on my character or a weakness I should be able to overcome – if I were only strong enough. But at this point, there’s no running from what I am any more. I need to lay all of my cards out. “Sugar, I’ve made a point of pulling my head out of my ass, and laying off the hooch for the last three days. I’m finally focused on doin’ my job as an Immortal Enforcer instead of wallowing in the past.” I don’t mention the fact that I am only able to do this because she’s back, and I have another chance to right the mistakes we both made back when.

  There’s no mistaking the resolve in my voice when I continue speaking. “No more half-assed shit, bébé. I need to be at my strongest right now, so I can protect you and that kid.” I lick my lips, feeling a bit nervous over my next admission. “That’s why I’ve been feeding every day since you arrived with all that nasty trouble chasin’ your purty lil’ tail. I need to be at full strength.”

  She searches my face and asks, “Club girls? You’ve been fucking and feeding from them while I was under the same roof?” Her expression is neutral, but I can sense the tension in her body. I can hear the incredulity and the hurt in her voice.

  I don’t like the idea of her hurting, but I’d be a lying muther-fucker if I claimed to not be relieved. Who I fuck or feed from wouldn’t bother her one little bit if s
he didn’t still want me as much as I want her. If she didn’t still feel our connection, she wouldn’t care who I had sex with or fed from. But I can’t let her hurt over this. “I’ve only fed from the wrist of my donors since I discovered you still lived, bébé.” Her relief is obvious, and gives me encouragement… hope.

  “Jenniene, I promise there’s been no fuckin’ around with other women when the only woman I want, have ever wanted, is alive and well, in the same city as me. No way, no how.” She seems to consider this silently for a moment before she gives me a nod of acceptance. “If you decide to be with me, mon amour, there will never be any other women, got that? Not for blood and sure as hell not for sex. If you decide you can accept me as I am, you’ll be the only female I’ll ever need.”

  “So, you only want to feed from me?” She sounds uncertain, but meets my gaze directly. The thought of being the source of the blood I need to survive might not thrill her, but she’s not running away. My Jenniene is no coward, that’s sure and certain.

  Our reconnection is so new, and likely fragile, and I reasonably assume there’s no room for anything less than total honesty between us. I can’t sugarcoat what I want and need from my mate, just as I wouldn’t want her to hide her wants and needs from me. “I want to share everything with you, bébé.” I lean down to kiss the tip of her pert little nose before I nip gently at her bottom lip, using a sharp fang to tease, but not break, her fragile skin. I notice that the tiny love bite I gave her earlier has already healed, telling me just how strong she truly is. “I want your body because you are truly the sexiest damn female I’ve ever seen, and you fuck like a demon.” I can’t help but smirk at that. I know she recalls how damned good we were together. There’s no way she’s forgotten our passion. No way. “More importantly, you are my fated mate – the one I love. I have always, and will always, want you. I could never want another woman as I want you.”