“Toy Story.”
“Gods, Kokoa!” He threw his head back and laughed out loud.
“Pretty hot, right?”
“In regard to a child’s film? A human child’s film at that. Odd is the correct usage.” He chuckled, then nodded in understanding. “But appropriate in terms of you and I.”
“Good.” I sighed. Invisible weight lifted from off my shoulders. I am a woman who cherishes many things. Family. Big pasta dishes loaded with marinara. Sex with a man who requires no strings attached.
Barbeque chicken.
And living a life surrounded by great friends.
Anyone is wrong to assume my heart is on lock down and it’ll only take The One to breach it. No. Love is different to me. Every idiot in The Blue Reef right then had a piece of my heart. And now, so could Adrian.
A piece of a mighty fine, unconventional friendship that might or might not involve a kiss or two. Or playing naughty finger peekaboo inside a rolls royce...
“Mmm.” He wrapped me in tighter. Zinging, tasty magic shots thrilled through my bones, sending me into a tingling frenzy.
Mmm, fuck it. I’m getting that kiss now.
His heavy lids flew open in surprise once I crushed my lips to his in a crazy fury. But the dragon caught on quite quickly and he deepened the lip lock just as enthusiastically. In the end, it was clumsy, sloppy, hot and wrapped in a sexy burrito and we were both laughing against one another, swallowing each other’s giggles before separating.
“Team Kokoa for life?” I shimmied in his arms. I couldn’t seem to stop amusing him. Hell, blame it on being extremely happy to see he was happy, too.
“Sign me up.” He moved for my mouth again, but high heel clacks stormed close from behind, stopping us.
“Kokoa!”
Speaking of trouble, his sister, Arianna approached, waving, and with the cotton candy colored wig in hand. “Yeah, hi, glad to see you’ve managed to remove the stick up my brother’s ass.”
Adrian gave her the middle finger.
“What’s up, Ari?” I asked.
“Everyone is getting arrested.”
“What?” I screeched.
“You can’t be too shocked. I plan to follow them to the station and get them bailed out. I don’t know about Lucas. He’s swinging at anybody who’s in a three-foot radius and may end being told to stay in holding. Anyways, whoever is let free, we’re all going to Club Kitty to salvage the night. You in?”
“Yeah, sounds fun.” And typical.
I looked at Adrian, who shrugged, his grin widening. He shook his head like he couldn’t believe this was what he’d signed up for.
“What do you say, bro?” Ari smirked at her twin. “You officially one of us now?”
One of us, one of us, one of us...
He unlocked the car, cast off his jacket and threw it on the backseat, unbuttoned his shirt some, and rolled his sleeves, then smiled widely. My heart fluttered. “Well, it’s a good thing I am who I am and can pull some strings at the station.” He cracked his knuckles.
Arianna and I fist pumped the air and bumped booties. “HE’S A MOTHERFUCKING MISFIT, BITCHES!” I shouted. People nearby stopped and looked at me like I was the spawn of a homicidal she-devil.
I tapped Adrian’s arm and pointed at them. “Get used to it,” I said, completely serious.
He snagged my waist and planted a kiss on my temple and said, “I can’t wait.”
A sudden thought struck and caused my eyeballs to laser into him.
“Adrian Neal Galzra, what happened to the panties you magically stole off my ass this morning?” I asked.
Shamelessly, he grinned.
“Darling...how about I order you dessert and we forget you ever asked that question? What do you say?”
***
Later on, I still hadn’t regretted my decision.
Crème brulee is damn good.
Epilogue
The Next Morning...
I woke up to remnants of colorful and wild dreams. Mainly, swirls of pulsating pink lights, groin-grinding dancing with competing vampires and dragons, and the image of a pouty Lucas in the backseat of a squad car.
Then him freaking out, kicking and nearly breaking a window, when a ladybug exited his ear. Turns out, he was right. Now the wait was on whether he’d become the baby-daddy to tiny red beetles.
I shook my head and stumbled out of bed—black dress still on—and realized the dream was more of a jumbled rehash based on true events.
I pig laughed. Awesome.
Adrian and his smooth-talking skills prevented mer-boy from being hit with a stack of charges while the rest got wrist slaps for causing disruptions.
After a wolf sniff, I winced at the hours-old stained booze smell, seafood, and different male colognes. I shucked everything off and hopped in the shower. While I lathered, I sensed the magic of Piper down the hall and the salty, ocean breeze essence of Lucas, too. Steady. They must still be asleep. I shook my soapy head. All that chaos just to spy on us. I couldn’t have asked for better friends.
That aside, I mentally checked today’s agenda—nothing. No shifts I remembered being scheduled for. Maybe I’d do some laundry. Run to the store, get angel hair noodles and suggest Lucas create his famous pot of spaghetti for dinner. A quiet night is what we three needed.
I rinsed off the long-handled loofah, then held it like a microphone. “This is Kokoa Lovell coming to you live from her shower, here to sing you my new hit single, Washing My Ass—”
“Let’s stop you right there,” suggested a deep voice. I dropped the loofah and my bottom jaw and unleash the mother of all screams.
The damn intruder just laughed, clapping.
That motherfucking vampire! Wrenching the curtain aside, I screamed some more at him. “Son of a bitch! Gavin!”
He waved from his spot against the sink. “Calm down.”
“What? No, don’t tell me that. It’s too damn early for this. Go away.”
“It’s noon.” His ruby eyes turned dark, gaze dropping from my face, taking a leisurely stroll to my toes.
Oh. I was on full display. Motionless under his heated gaze, a mega, inferno blush engulfed my entire face and neck, spreading to my chest and—damn it—my hardened nipples. They were like that because of the chill in the air, I swear.
Gavin licked his lips and stepped forward, pointing to the peaked pair. “These for me?”
I bent and gripping the loofah in two hands, wielding it like a sword. “Gavin...”
“Relax, babe. Here.” Vamp Man handed me a towel and shut the water off. “We have business to discuss, and I brought tacos.”
My head snapped to attention. Say, what now? “Don’t play with me, Vampire,” I warned and hopped out, inhaling deeply.
Sure enough, the smell of my tasty tacos buddies from The Rabid Sombrero wafted, tantalizingly, from beyond my room. A vision of them sitting in a greasy paper bag on the kitchen counter kicked my ass into overdrive. I quickly dried my body, my earlier shyness gone. I don’t know why I’d been shy. I’m hardly ever modest around him.
Then I remembered what else he said. “What business?”
The sneaky undead hunk stalked closer, evaporating the gap, and took the towel corners, drawing me against his denim jeans and muscle shirt. He peeled back his lips, fangs an inch from my nose. Right then, as mischief turned him wicked, a ball of foreboding bounced in my stomach.
“Tell me, Little Wolf...”
“Yes?” It came out a whisper.
Again, his tongue traced his upper lip. I followed its slow trail.
“How do you feel about being locked in a big, old... scary... mansion for a few days?” The vampire growled low, vibrating what was flush with my exposed flesh.
I paused to really consider that, as well as the creepy look in his eye.
My answer—“Tacos first, then I’ll let you know.”
The End...for now.
GRIMSTONE GLOSSARY
Explore th
e island and ways of life for its preternatural citizens
Location: In uncharted waters in the central Pacific—within equal distance between North
America and Asia. It’s invisible to mortals. While sailing in the direction or near the island, spelled waters and air will automatically manipulate human minds to steer onto a different course without a trace of remembrance of the area nor sudden change.
Island access: All supernaturals may come to Grimstone, whether they seek acceptance, want a home, or are visiting loved ones. There is no vetting process. Entry points for supernaturals traveling on commercial ships or airplanes are readily available and are shielded by invisibility wards. It’s important to get wards ahead of time if individuals travel to the Island by private means. No one is confined to the island. Anyone may leave at any time.
Supernatural Crime Force (SCF):
Crime prevention on the island, it is similar to a police force. The organization has units
in the human world as well. SCF monitors paranormal and human activity in the
outside world. Supernatural related crimes in human territory get handled in a manner that won’t draw attention.
The Black Diamond group (The BDG):
A group of spies who are also scattered all over the planet. They keep the
existence of supernaturals a secret by gaining influential positions in the human’s lives. Most of these spies are in political, scientific, technical and military positions of authority around the world, especially in embassies. The supernatural public is aware of such a group, however the identities of individuals within the organization are concealed. Sworn to a
blood and magic binding secrecy, their lives are forever bound to the position.
The Tower: A 2,000-foot sleek black building that contains the offices of important businesses
and organizations as well as protection insurance pertaining to Grimstone and the foreign affairs that secretly connects them to the human world. It’s also headquarters to the supernatural criminal force and BDG. The Galzra dragon family governing originates here, creating laws and rules for specified species. Many floors contain science labs for supernatural studies and tech teams that help the SCF and BDG.
Adela: Life, Unity, and Magic. These three words beat in repeat like a heart inside the sacred tree. It glows in reminder to everyone on the Island of Grimstone. Over the years,
Adela became known as a spiritual element. It’s both God and Goddess. Holy Lord and Savior. And not just a great source of magic that helped create the Island. Adela is entirely made of black obsidian rock, its trunk wide and thick, its branches thin and bare, reaching long and high. A small moat of charmed salt water surrounds it, like a fountain pond. The tree was born towards the edge of the island, now established as Hallow Circle, in other words a “town square.” Oh, the irony. Rooted yards away from The Tower, Adela is freely approachable. However, protective wards are in place, intending to paralyze wrongdoers who plan to harm it. Around the clock guards are also there to monitor.
The Hallow Six: The Lords and Rulers that make up the six supernatural beings who sacrificed these listed elements to create Adela:
• A strand of fur.
• A drop of blood.
• A single scale.
• A pinch of soil.
• A wand.
• A vial of tears.
Below is the list of members in the exact order of who gave up which
element:
The Lords
• Carver Lovell (Werewolf)
• Lucien VanWrath (Vampire)
• Draco Galzra (Dragon)
The Rulers
• Oakla Elwood (Elf)
• Pebble Nightshade (Witch)
• Tide Shelborn (Merman)
Health: Human illnesses do not affect supernatural creatures. Many thousand-year-old plagues that once affected supernaturals are deemed extinct. Still, scientists located in The Tower have successfully produced cures for the deadliest and continue to work to
prevent future outbreaks and determine what other illnesses can become fatal threats.
All supernaturals can successfully conceive offspring with any type of supernatural species.
Hybrids are the norm. Different contraceptives have been engineered for
specific types of supernaturals to work best with their body chemistry.
Blood Import: All human blood is donated and legally obtained through many worldwide
facilities through funding supplied by Grimstone. All donations are shipped to Grimstone by private carrier—-unobserved by humans, of course.
Blood Mates/ The Blood Mating Ritual: Becoming eternal blood mates happens when a bite-to-bite ritual commences between two individuals, no matter the gender or species, who wholeheartedly concede to becoming mates for as long as they both shall live. The ritual takes place during intercourse for three nights in a row. Each other’s blood is exchanged and after the third night, the bond is complete, causing the couple to gauge the other’s emotions, state of
health, location, and any danger they encounter. Their love is of course intensified, they become stronger, and their senses are heightened. The bond is broken when one of the mates passes away, or with the aid of an experienced spell-caster, undergoing an excruciating long process using magic to undo the bond. In some cases, individuals come close to death upon the necessary phase of extracting a large quantity of blood. It is extremely important for those to consider carefully who they want to be with before moving forward with performing the ritual.
Relations with humans: Walking among humans is perfectly fine, however, a supernatural choosing that life must hide who they really are, and may never reveal their true nature in front of one. The practice of hunting and drinking blood from a human still happens, but doing so needs to be in a manner that does not spike their attention. If a supernatural is veering towards recklessness, the SCF will handle the situation. What happens when a human knows just a little too much? Well, the courses of action that are administered are classified.
It is acceptable to be friends, interact, and engage in intimate activities with humans, but some supernaturals end up falling in love with a human. Easy to do so, yet it is always dangerous. If the SCF or the BDG find out a supernatural has attempted to perform a Blood Mate ritual —doing so requires their true self to be exposed—the outcome is automatic death for the human and imprisonment for the supernatural.
Luckily with this law going into effect centuries ago and supernatural parents’ strict upbringing on the matter, it has become rare for any to bind themselves to humans in ways that will risk either party. Another major risk: Attempted Blood Mating with a human leads to severe illness to the human and their chance of survival is extremely low. By the end they’re in a zombified state. Hours, if not minutes later, the human dies. Intentionally creating offspring with a human will lead to deformity of the mother’s body (human or supernatural) during the fetuses’ rapid growth in a week’s time after conception. Death for human mother and child soon occurs, depending on what species the father is. A supernatural woman bearing the child of a human male faces high chances of having miscarriages each time they try to conceive.
Overall, don’t fuck with humans. Literally.
Grimstone Holidays:
Mortalween (November 25th)
Supernaturals dress up as their favorite famous human for a night of candy
consumption and trickery.
Cryptmas (October 31st)
Folks set out artfully carved jack-o-lanterns, purple and orange lights leading up to the day. They exchange gifts all night during the 31st.
Adela’s Rising, Independence Day (June 11th)
Everyone on the Island joins together for festivities commemorating the magical tree and the Hallow Six.
Bloodiedtines Day (August 22nd)
Celebrates a day of carnal love.
Fangsgiving (September 16th)
Supernaturals spend the day wit
h family, gorging on delicious homemade dishes.
ROCHELLE PEARSON
Rochelle lives in southern Maryland with her crazy family. She loves eating dishes that involve loads of marinara sauce and is an obsessive book hoarder. Rochelle also enjoys creating steamy paranormal romances with sexy fanged men and bold funny female leads.
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Also by Rochelle Pearson
Grimstone Island
Blood, Cupcakes and Wicked Business
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Panties, Calamities and Hungry Creatures (Grimstone Island) Page 9
