ROMANCE: SHIFTER: Shifter to the Max Collection (Dragon, Bear, Wolf and Panther Shifter Romances) (Paranormal Fantasy Romance Collection) (77 page)

Carrie smirked. “Those new age librarians don’t know a damned thing compared to the occult experts from my generation. I don’t even know why Department 99 sends you guys over there. I know the legend of Aengus Smithson by heart, and she left out a few key parts. For one, the female descendants of Aengus don’t have the same protection that the male descendants do. If you’ve tried to call out to a demon—they are allowed to attack you, they just can’t possess you.” Carrie reached up to scratch at a spot on the center of her head. “So, as much as I hate to be the bearer of bad news, I’ve got to tell you that they can speak with you or attack you without any threat of harm to themselves.”

Lillian frowned, “Well, why won’t Finn’s demons talk to me? I’ve asked direct questions and every time, the entities seem to ignore me and speak to other people in the room.”

Carrie considered her question for a while. “That is the question, isn’t it?” Carrie answered. “I saw something somewhat similar to this in the 1970’s and it wasn’t good. By the way, be sure to guard your mind. The pact isn’t as ironclad as a novice might think. They might not be able to possess you, but they can still drive you to insanity or drive you to commit suicide. They’re very dangerous.”

Carrie got up and walked over to one of her cabinets. She reached inside and grabbed a few bundles of sage, which she handed to Lillian. “Native Americans figured out a long time ago, that sage contains some powerful properties which dispel dark energies. You’ll need something much stronger, but for now this can at least offer you some protection.” Lillian took the sage and clutched it to her chest.

Lillian quickly looked around at all of the writings on the walls, floor, and ceiling. “What if I tried to call out to Chachi from here? Would he be able to answer me?” Carrie nodded silently. She walked over to a table and picked up a small eraser. She then erased one line of the chalk writing nearest Lillian.

“That should break the stronghold enough for the mob ghost to slip through, but should still offer us protection from the demons. I’ve created a teeny tiny little crack in our fortress girlie, so if you’re going to call out—do it quickly.”

Lillian closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She could hear her heart thudding away within her chest, and she tried consciously to slow her breathing and to silence her mind a bit. Then she recalled what Chachi’s voice had sounded like. Before her lips uttered even a single word, she called out to him with her mind. Then, she asked him, “Chachi, why do you want to hurt Finn?”

For a long while, no one responded. The candles in the room flickered and Lillian could hear Carrie’s breathing across from her. Then, the mobster’s voice came through. Instead of answering her question he seemed to be cussing her out. After he was finished unleashing a stream of cuss words he called her an idiot. Lillian pressed on. “Why are you helping the demons to destroy a little boy, Chachi?”

This time a hoarse nasty-sounding voice responded, “Why don’t you stay out of my business and shut the hell up…” She was getting nowhere. Suddenly, a terrible pain slammed itself into the side of her head. Lillian felt as if something were trying to invade her skull. “No!” Lillian shrieked. Carrie jumped up, with her piece of chalk in hand and replaced the missing line of the protection spell on the wall. Chachi was gone.

Lillian sat doubled over, holding her head in her hands. Her forehead pulsed and throbbed. Carrie quickly went over to the corner and pulled a leaf off of a nearby plant. “Chew this,” Carrie said as she handed it over to Lillian. The moment Lillian put it in her mouth, she felt instant relief.

About a half an hour later, Lillian found herself back in Caleb’s hospital room. He was still sleeping quietly, and Lillian couldn’t help but admire the perfection of his brow, his chiseled features, and the way his hair fell. He was so handsome. Again, she reached down and took his hand into her own. Lillian squeezed his palm, this time, hoping that Caleb might squeeze back.

Slowly the hospital door creaked open. A serious looking woman stepped inside with a tray, which held a few syringes. Lillian knew this woman by sight. She was a Department 99 legend. Her name was Karyn Rourke and she had saved the world, more or less. While she still worked in the field, Karyn had finished medical school with the help of Department 99, and now often worked the hospital units.

Karyn walked over to Caleb and smiled slightly. She noticed Lillian clutching his hand tightly. She seemed to comprehend the bond between Lillian and Calen that Lillian herself didn’t quite understand.

“The first time I met your friend, he threatened me,” Karyn smiled to Lillian. Karyn lifted Caleb’s eyelids and glanced at the white of his eyeballs. She then listened to his heartbeat. Without saying a word, Karyn gave Caleb two new injections—one into his leg wound, and another into his bicep. “You can take him home after he wakes up, but bring him back if he has any further complications.” Caleb woke up just as Karyn was exiting the room.

Caleb’s eyes slowly blinked open. “Hey you,” Lillian said to him softly. “Hi,” Caleb grumbled. Caleb’s eyes slowly adjusted to the dim light. The first thing he noticed was a head of bright red hair beside him, then he felt Lillian’s hand in his own. After that, he felt his strength rapidly returning. He felt almost like a shadow of a person returning to a whole form. Lillian’s blue eyes gleamed in the dark room. He noticed that as she leaned in to hold his hand a certain amount of her cleavage was exposed. He wanted to kiss her again. He wanted to touch her, to finally tell her the depth of feelings he harbored for her.

After a few moments in silence, Caleb sat up on the edge of the bed. Lillian couldn’t help but notice his beautiful calf muscles as they dangled over the edge of the gurney. She reached over and handed him a T-shirt and a pair of pants that Department 99 had provided. First, Caleb pulled the T-shirt over his head, and then he turned his back to her and pulled the pants up over his bare butt. Lillian smiled. It was the second time she had seen his exposed rear-end and she couldn’t help but admire how shapely and muscular he was. When Caleb was dressed they silently walked out of the hospital unit and into the car.

Lillian had decided to drive Caleb to her house. She could put him up in the guest room and fill him in on the details of what had occurred with Chachi’s ghost. As they drove in silence, Caleb tired eyes kept travelling to Lillian’s shapely legs. He watched as each time she pressed down on the accelerator, her calf muscle flexed. The window was cracked slightly and warm air tousled her hair bathing him in her aroma. She was so beautiful. His eyes scanned the length of her body and then back to her face. He stared at her full lips, and remembered the kiss they’d shared. He wasn’t sure how he should handle the situation. He was clearly having trouble keeping his feelings for his co-agent professional. Proper protocol dictated that he ask that one of them be reassigned, yet he was too selfish to follow protocol in this situation. Besides, at this point he was certain that regardless of whether they were in the same room together or not, she would still occupy his thoughts every second of every day. 

A short while later Caleb and Lillian were sitting in her living room, discussing the case. Lillian had placed a cup of hot cocoa in front of Caleb and he was sipping at it tentatively. Her eyes glistened in the darkness, and Caleb could no longer concentrate on what she was trying to say. He reached over and pulled her closer by the waist. His lips descended over her mouth and he kissed her deeply. He ran his tongue along the seam and she instinctually parted her lips for him to slip his tongue into her mouth. Lillian moaned softly and Caleb responded by pulling her into his lap and holding her tighter. She could feel the hard bulge in Caleb’s pants as he held her in his arms. His kiss softened and he nibbled lightly on her bottom lip. He leaned back on the sofa pulling her with him, enjoying the moment. For Caleb, feeling Lillian’s body pressed up against his was a dream come true. Literally. How many times had he daydreamed about holding her in his arms just this way, and tasting her lips? Though fully clothed, her body was positioned over his so his erection pressed firmly between her legs. He could feel the soft rise of her breath, and the pressure of her breasts against his chest. Caleb slipped his hand beneath her shirt. He slid his hand up to her breasts and began to slowly caress them. Caleb really wanted to rip her clothes off and ravish her right there, but he knew to take things slowly. As he touched her breasts, Lillian continue to moan softly. He trailed kisses along Lillian’s neck by her ear and slowly worked his way down to her cleavage. Her skin was unbelievably soft to the touch.

Lillian was in heaven. She couldn’t believe that Caleb was actually touching her in the ways she had only fantasized about. She reveled in the feeling of his wandering hands, and the low groans he made as he rubbed himself against her. She reached up and grasped his biceps. His arms were impossibly hard and chiseled. Her strongest desire was to tear her clothes off and drag him upstairs to her bedroom, but something prevented her from doing this.

Caleb started to slowly unbutton the front of Lillian’s shirt. As the cloth fell away, he noted that she was wearing that beautiful red lacy bra again. He leaned down and kissed the top of her breasts. Then, he popped her breasts up and out of the bra.

Lillian felt exposed and a bit vulnerable. The air felt cool against her nipples. Slowly, Caleb lowered his mouth over her left nipple and began to suck. She couldn’t believe this was finally happening. Lillian exhaled, and the stress of watching and worrying as he laid in the hospital recovery ward, melted out of her body with every stroke of his tongue. His strong hands wandered her body, feeling and caressing. Again he kissed her mouth. This time she returned the kiss passionately, threading her fingers through his hair and pulling his face to hers. A deep rumbling sound emanated from Caleb’s chest as she did this, and he dug his fingers into her hips pressed himself against her. Lillian shuddered. He was kissing her neck feverishly now and she heard soft moaning sounds escaping her lips. She reached up and pulled Caleb’s shirt over his head. His shirt came off easily and she tossed it into the corner of the room. Caleb’s muscles rippled, and Lillian admired the chiseled beautiful look of his body. He was covered in a slight sheen of sweat and his body glistened as he slid her onto the couch and moved on top of her. Lillian reached down and fingered the clasp on Caleb’s pants. Another growling sound came from deep within him and he gently bit her neck. Suddenly, his bear started to take over his thoughts. His bear screamed at him demanding he bite down on her- mark her and claim her as his mate. Caleb had never experienced such a felling before. Never with all the women Caleb had been with, and there had been a good deal, had his bear made any such demands. A mate? Someone like Caleb was not suited for a mate. Quickly, he pulled away.

“What happened? Did I do something wrong?” Lillian asked, a bit confused. Caleb shook his head no. He wanted her. There was no question about that. He also knew that he was in control of his animal. The department had put him through extensive training and before he could be a field agent, it was made certain that he, the human Caleb, not his bear, dominated his body.

He then turned back to strong, beautiful, fiery Lillian and was overtaken by desire. He made a decision. His bear would shut the hell up, and he would explore her tonight. He would be careful not to take himself to the point of no return, but he would let her know how badly he wanted her. In one swift motion, he swooped her up and carried her upstairs to the bedroom.

Caleb lay her down on top of the comforter and started with her neck running his lips, tongue and mouth over every inch of her down to her ankles. His kisses were soft and gentle tickling and making Lillian giggle with delight. He then gently started to massage her calf muscles. Lillian relaxed at his touch. Then, he was on top of her again. Lillian wanted so badly to take his jeans off, yet when her hands wandered down to the clasp on his pants, he pinned her hands down.

“Behave yourself,” Caleb whispered into her ear playfully. The sound of his voice sent shivers down her spine. Lillian shuddered beneath his body, and arched her back trying to feel more of him. Finally, she could take no more. She reached up and pulled his body down on top of her capturing his lips in her mouth kissing him deeply once again.

Caleb’s strong hands reached down and pulled Lillian’s jeans off. The movement was so swift that in seconds she was lying beneath him clad only in her red lacy panties and Caleb’s strong hands were making soft circles on her thighs. Lillian shuddered. Her panties were soaked from yearning. Slowly and gently, Caleb’s hand made his way up to them.

“Can I?” he asked her softly. Lillian nodded yes. Then, Caleb pushed her panties aside and flicked his fingers softly against her. His face was inches from her and his eyes never left hers as he found her sweet spot. He watched her as though she was the most fascinating thing he had ever seen. Lillian moaned in ecstasy and responded by kissing the side of his neck, and then biting him hard. Caleb winced, and then laughed softly.

They went on like that for the remainder of the night, locked in an embrace exploring one another—but not quite going all the way. Caleb felt so alive in Lillian’s arms that he didn’t want to let go.

The next morning, Lillian woke up before the sun was up. She looked over at the sleeping form of Caleb, lying next to her in the bed. They had acted like two high schoolers, spending the night exploring one another, but not letting things go too far. Even still, Lillian wanted all of him. He looked so handsome and peaceful as he slept.