Valentines Heat I Read online

  Table of Contents

  Cover

  Table of Contents

  Look for these titles from the Authors

  Title Page

  Copyright Warning

  HEARTS’ PRIDE by Ally Shields

  About Ally Shields

  Also by Ally Shields

  LOST SOUL, LOST LOVE by Nessie Strange

  About Nessie Strange

  Also by Nessie Strange

  RED DOGS by Keith Melton

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  About Keith Melton

  Also by Keith Melton

  THE NECRO-FILES: V-DAY by CL Bledsoe

  About CL Bledsoe

  Also by CL Bledsoe

  More Valentines Heat from Etopia Press

  Look for these titles from the Authors

  Now Available

  By Ally Shields

  The Guardian Witch Series

  Awakening the Fire (Book 1)

  Fire Within (Book 2)

  Burning Both Ends (Book 3)

  Blood and Fire (Book 4)

  Fire Storm (Book 5)

  Wild Fire (Book 6)

  Cross Keys

  By Nessie Strange

  The Living Dead World Series

  Living Dead Girl (Book One)

  Reaper Madness (Book Two)

  By Keith Melton

  The Zero Dog Missions

  Dark Ride Dogs

  By CL Bledsoe

  The Necro-Files Series

  The Necro-Files: $7.50/hr + Curses

  Bloody Sexy

  Sunlight

  More Valentines Heat Anthologies

  Valentines Heat I (Paranormal/Urban Fantasy)

  Ally Shields, Nessie Strange, Keith Melton, CL Bledsoe

  Valentines Heat II (Historical/Contemporary Romance)

  Elizabeth Ellen Carter, Cynthia Hampton

  Valentines Heat III (Erotic Paranormal/Sci-Fi Romance)

  Christy Gissendaner, Jayne Ripley

  Valentines Heat IV (Erotic and Ménage Romance)

  Anne Lange, Nikki Dee Houston, Lyssa Jackson, Arianna Archer

  Valentines Heat I

  Paranormal Romance and Urban Fantasy

  Ally Shields

  Nessie Strange

  Keith Melton

  CL Bledsoe

  Etopia Press

  Copyright Warning

  EBooks are not transferable. They cannot be sold, shared, or given away. The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is a crime punishable by law. No part of this book may be scanned, uploaded to or downloaded from file sharing sites, or distributed in any other way via the Internet or any other means, electronic or print, without the publisher’s permission. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000 (http://www.fbi.gov/ipr/).

  This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are fictitious or have been used fictitiously, and are not to be construed as real in any way. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales, or organizations is entirely coincidental.

  Published By

  Etopia Press

  136 S. Illinois Ave. Suite 212

  Oak Ridge, TN 37830

  http://www.etopiapress.com

  Valentines Heat I

  “Hearts’ Pride” Copyright © 2015 by Ally Shields

  “Lost Soul, Lost Love” Copyright © 2015 by Nessie Strange

  “Red Dogs” Copyright © 2015 by Keith Melton

  “The Necro-Files: V-Day” Copyright © 2015 by CL Bledsoe

  ISBN: 978-1-941692-51-6

  All Rights Are Reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

  First Etopia Press electronic publication: February 2015

  HEARTS’ PRIDE by Ally Shields

  Katrina settled her hip against the bar of the Second Chance Saloon and swirled the drink in her hand. The ice cubes rattled. She brushed the dark curtain of hair back from her face, drew in a furtive whiff of the myriad of scents, and scanned the noisy room. The vampire bar was her last stop of the night, and it didn’t look promising. Other than the vampires, most of the crowd were werewolves. Her red-lacquered fingernails began a tap-tap on the side of her glass, a hint of the discomfort she was trying to hide.

  She used to enjoy the social scene—maybe not a biker bar—but a few drinks, having a good time, had been part of the norm. That was before. Now she was a shifter, and black panthers were a solitary breed, prone to avoid the company of others. Yet she retained enough humanity that she yearned for companionship. Her foster family—the spotted wereleopards who had taken her in after the attack and seen her through the change—had been a mated pair. Mated for life. She wanted what they had.

  “Can I buy you a drink?”

  Katrina lifted her lashes to regard a vampire with shoulder-length auburn hair. He was attractive, broad shouldered with a sexy smile, but she shook her head. “No thanks. I’m good for now.” She wasn’t into blood sucking. Or casual sex, for that matter.

  He shrugged, taking the brush-off in stride, and turned away.

  Katrina released a sigh. Stopping in Riverdale’s Olde Town district, an area frequented by Otherworlders, had been a waste of time. The latest of many. After leaving the leopards a year ago to seek her own territory, she’d wandered from town to town, never finding what she was looking for, and this stop looked like just another dead end. No sign of leopards and certainly no black panthers. In fact, she hadn’t seen any big cats except the weretigers who worked for the local vampire prince and a couple of werelions. Tomorrow she’d be moving on.

  A chair crashed to the floor, and she jumped, sloshing her drink. A loud roar of laughter erupted from a nearby table.

  “Stop that! Keep your hands to yourself.” A petite blonde waitress with her face flushed in anger or embarrassment glared at the twenty-something human male sprawled on the floor. The heavily built biker type, with brown hair that needed washing two days ago, was obviously drunk. His hands hugged her legs until she kicked loose.

  Two of his equally drunk—and scruffy—friends lounged in their chairs, snorting at his antics and slapping the tabletop. Not a brain among them, Katrina decided. The fourth man at their table, a red-bearded giant, watched with an indulgent smirk. He appeared to be slightly less inebriated, but still well over the limit. If she had to guess, she’d say he was the leader of this rowdy crew.

  The handsy guy hadn’t given up. He struggled onto his knees and pawed at the waitress’s waist.

  “Off,” she said pushing him away.

  He slipped on a patch of spilled beer and fell again, giggling. “Just one little kiss,” he slurred.

  Disgusting. Katrina frowned. Should she try to help? Humans never held their liquor well. It exaggerated any bad traits they already had.

  “Aw, honey. Don’t be like that.” A second drunk surged to his feet and caught the waitress in a bear hug. “Won’t you be my valentine?”

  That brought another roar of laughter, and Katrina took a step forward. She stopped when the bartender came around the counter and pulled the young woman free.

  “OK, you guys have had your fun.” The barkeep waved a hand toward their table. “Sit down, and I’ll get you a pitcher on the house.” When no one responded, he added, “Or you can leave. Your choice.”

  “Beer,” the guy on the floor said promptly. He g
rabbed his chair, pulled himself to his feet, and sat. He grinned at no one in particular. “Beer,” he repeated.

  Katrina had seen enough. Time to go before these guys got any drunker. She raised her glass but paused when she caught the bearded leader staring at her. Maybe he’d noticed her intent to intervene. He gave her a roguish wink and pursed his lips. Oh, yuk. Katrina mentally rolled her eyes and downed the last of her drink. She slid a tip under her empty glass and headed out the door.

  The cold hit her immediately. Even with her shifter body heat, the middle of February in the Midwest wasn’t a comfortable time for a midnight walk. She hugged her fur-lined leather jacket close to her body and bowed her head into the brisk wind. A light covering of crystallized snow crunched underfoot.

  The drunk’s comment to the waitress had reminded her that tomorrow was a special day. In fact, now that she’d been reminded, the signs were all around. The shop windows she passed displayed brilliant reds, pinks, and lacy white, showcasing a multitude of hearts and cupids and sentimental sayings. It was a day she’d looked forward to when she was human. When she had Blane. Now it was just another mark on the calendar.

  But a brief smile tugged at her lips. It happened every time she thought of him. Her world had been just about perfect in those days, and if she closed her eyes, she still saw Blane’s face as clearly as if he were standing beside her. Ruggedly handsome, with a twinkle of humor always lurking in his eyes, he’d been an athlete, a man’s man, yet thoughtful, romantic…like the day at the lake.

  The walk around the local lake to admire the autumn colors had been his idea. Sunlight danced across a kaleidoscope of reds and golds. Fallen leaves on the path crunched under their steps or scattered when stirred by the crisp, fresh air. Katrina and Blane wound their arms around each other.

  She’d felt so secure in their love.

  “Would you like to dress up and go out for dinner tonight?” he’d asked. “Maybe a little dancing?”

  “Oh, I’d love that. But is this some special occasion?”

  “Very. At least I hope it will be.”

  She glanced up at him puzzled. “What’s going on? You haven’t mentioned anything before now.”

  “I was keeping it a secret.” Stopping on the path, he turned her to face him. “I wanted just the right moment, and I think this is it.” Blane pulled a box from his pocket, flipped it open, and went down on one knee. His intense gaze met and held hers. “Katrina, my love, will you be my wife?”

  Of course she’d said yes, and they’d spent a wonderful evening dancing and drinking champagne. The next months were incredibly happy as they planned their June wedding.

  Katrina grimaced. How quickly it had all changed. Late the following April, they took a camping trip to the Colorado mountains, an extended getaway weekend before the last flurry of wedding activities. The second day around dusk they’d rounded a turn in the trail and spotted a huge, black cat on a ledge above them. Blane had grabbed her hand and pulled her away, but the creature sprang into the air and was on them in seconds.

  She shivered, remembering those wild, glowing eyes and her own naked fear. Her last clear image was of Blane turning to meet the attack. The worst of the pain and terror had been blocked from her mind—traumatic amnesia, the doctors had said—but somehow the sounds and smells had stayed with her, haunted her for months. Even at the time, she’d realized this wasn’t a normal wild animal. Black panthers didn’t roam the northern states.

  She’d expected to die that night.

  But she woke in the hospital two days later, nearly hysterical, to the news she’d been infected with the werepanther virus, and Blane was gone. They told her he’d survived the attack, but no one had seen him after that first night. He’d vanished just like everything else she’d ever known.

  Katrina blew out a frosty breath, and a sigh of resignation eased the ache in her heart. In all honesty, she didn’t blame him for leaving. A catwoman would be an uncomfortable wife for an up and coming junior law partner. After eighteen months, maybe he’d found someone more suitable. She hoped so. Wasn’t that the very reason she didn’t go looking for him? If only…

  Katrina cut off the thought. That life was over. She’d accepted her loss and moved on—most of the time. Her steps slowed, and she glanced over her shoulder. The neon lights of the bar were still in sight. Maybe she should go back and let the hunky vampire help her forget…just for tonight. Her lips firmed. No, too many complications; it wouldn’t solve anything.

  At the next corner she turned to the right. A run in Goshen Park might ease her tension. She’d heard the forested city park was open only to Otherworlders from dusk to dawn. A good opportunity to embrace her new powers, her strong, supple body, without fear of being watched or judged by humans.

  But she still needed to find a mate. Her body was changing, preparing for potential motherhood. She’d soon face urges she couldn’t control.

  When she saw the park gates, she began running, her body shifting, elongating as strong legs barely touched the snowy surface.

  An hour later, Katrina returned to human form and headed back into town, still catching her breath from running that hard, that long, but her body was more relaxed now, almost liquid. She was tired enough to sleep and get an early start in the morning. Which direction should she pick this time? If she followed the river south, at least she’d find a warmer climate.

  She heard voices ahead, but didn’t pay much attention until someone wolf whistled.

  “Hey, cutie. Want some company?”

  Katrina tensed. The four human bikers from the bar. Black and tan leather jackets and boots. Chains hung on their belts. They swaggered toward her, stumbling now and then in their drunkenness, still looking for entertainment…or trouble.

  She walked boldly toward them, intending to walk around or push her way through. She caught the gaze of the red-bearded leader and widened her eyes in surprise. Much too smug. Before she could consider what that meant, she smelled the hyena behind her. She whipped around ready to fight, but that was the wrong move…and one they’d anticipated. The men behind her dropped a chain over her head and pulled it tight. Someone knocked her feet out from under her, and she fell to her knees.

  Oh, come on, guys. Katrina wasn’t seriously alarmed yet. She was already shifting, but the four humans yanked on the chain again knocking her off balance, and the large hyena male pressed the business end of a gun against her cheek.

  “Don’t do it,” he warned. “If you shift, I’ll be forced to shoot you. Be nice, and you may yet live.”

  “What do you want?” With her throat constricted, her voice came out raspy. She should have saved her breath. The answer was obvious. The hyenas were her species’ worst enemy, the kill-on-sight kind of enemy.

  “You. Gone. When my friend here said he’d picked a new woman, I never imagined it was a trespassing cat.” The hyena added emphasis by tapping her with the pistol. “This is my territory. No kitties allowed.” He rudely looked her over, his eyes peeling her clothes away. “But I can see why he chose you. I’m just not sure you’d make a safe toy.”

  “Oh, come on, Rufus.” The leader of the bikers stepped forward and gave another yank on the chain, leering at her face. “You said we could have this one. And I’ve been looking forward to a kiss or two.” He leaned so close his beard nearly brushed her nose, and his beer-laden breath suffocated her. He plucked a knife from his waistband, drawing the dull edge along the curve of her jaw. “You don’t have to worry about her getting away.”

  Katrina refused to react…yet. She wasn’t afraid to die, but if these humans thought she’d give in without a fight, they’d soon realize their mistake.

  “BJ’s right. You promised,” another of the humans whined. “She’s ours.”

  Rufus studied them with a hard look. “You’re all drunk, and she’ll rip out your throats if you let her shift.” His beady gaze settled on her. “Black cats have no scruples.”

  As if a hyena would recogn
ize scruples. Katrina kept an ear on the conversation, but she frantically searched for ideas to get out of this. Nothing came to mind. Her chances would be better if the hyena and the gun left, so she stayed quiet, not wanting to make the humans more cautious. Let them think she was cowed by her current predicament.

  She relaxed back on her heels, which had the added benefit of slightly easing the pressure on her throat. It would take her less than a minute to shift, but that was plenty of time for the hyena to fill her full of silver bullets. At this distance he wouldn’t miss and enough silver would kill her. For now she had to be patient.

  * * *

  Blane studied the flashing neon lights, the glare bouncing off the latest snowfall. He’d tracked her for weeks, always missing her by days or sometimes hours at each location, and now the trail had brought him to Olde Town. He’d never been close enough to catch sight of the she-panther, but it had to be Katrina…didn’t it? How many of them could be roaming this area? He sniffed the air. The scent was strong, stronger than ever before. Could this be the night he found her? He strode toward the Second Chance Bar with a sense of hope.

  No one paid any attention when he entered the room—just another predator in a room full of them. His gaze skimmed over the crowd, noting the large numbers of vampires and wolves with a few other species and humans scattered throughout. His nostrils flared to pinpoint the scent of her. Nothing fresh. He gave a weary sigh. Gone again. Where this time?

  He approached the balding bartender. “Seen a woman with black hair down to here?” He tapped himself two or three inches below the shoulder. If it was Katrina, surely she’d still have that soft, silky hair that shimmered when it spilled through his fingers.