Shifters, Beasts, and Monsters (26 page)

"I don't think we're
supposed to be here at this time of night, Shamus," Suzanne whispered up
to him, not really sure why she was whispering considering no one was around to
hear them.

Shamus merely smiled, taking
her hand in his.

The rainbow spark flared out
as their skin touched, sending the all too familiar sensations of desire
through her. Suzanne took note that it seemed brighter tonight than it had in
the past.

Shamus led her to the plot
where they had been discovered by the elderly couple. Opening the gate he
ushered her in. When she hesitated, he leaned down and whispered in her ear,
"I'm certain they won't be here for a while yet."

Feeling silly, she gave him a
rather embarrassed smile and proceeded into the plot. She was surprised to see
that the fountain was still on. Water flowed out of the tips of each of the
cupids’ arrows, making a soothing trickling sound as the thin streams of water
fell to the fountain's basin.

Leading her over to the
fountain, Shamus motioned for her to sit down. Once she was seated, he sat next
to her, taking her hands in his.

It's now or never. Just
like a Band-Aid, get it over with fast for the least amount of pain.
Suzanne attempted to pull her hands from his, but he held on tightly.

"Before you say anything
I have some things I need to say first," Shamus informed her.

Suzanne considered objecting,
but the determined, no-nonsense look in his eyes made her decide against it.
Instead, she sat quietly waiting for him to say what he had to say.

"I know Cass came to see
you, so I have an idea of what you are intending to say. So we're going to
clear up some of these doubts now."

"He brought up some
valid points," Suzanne interjected.

"Cass was wrong."

He's making this so much
harder than it has to be
, Suzanne thought miserably.

"You're a leprechaun.
Your duty is to help people. How can I let you give that up? And Cass said you
would age as a human would; you'll eventually die if you stay here with
me," Suzanne protested.

"But I wouldn't be
giving up my duty to help others. I can easily still do that. I'd just have a
second, more important obligation. To you." He reached out and caressed
her cheek with the back of his hand.

"And the aging?"
Suzanne prompted. Her heart was beating so loudly within her chest that she was
certain he must be able to hear it. Dare she believe? Could it work?

Shamus shrugged. "I'm
well over two hundred years old. And in those two hundred and some odd years I
have never found the one..." he paused searching for the correct term,
"being – human or otherwise – who made this life worthwhile,
for me. At least we will grow old together."

Suzanne could feel the tears
threatening again. She chewed at her lower lip nervously, the last bit of
strength she had to push him away quickly dissolving.

"Destiny doesn't make
mistakes, Suzanne."

Suzanne didn't think she
could manage to speak if she wanted to. He sat there looking down at her with
so much emotion in his eyes and in his whole expression. How could she just
walk away from him? She seriously doubted she'd be able to lie and tell him she
didn't want him even if she had to. She wasn't strong enough. Or perhaps he was
right. Perhaps it wasn't that she wasn't strong enough, but that you can't
fight what is ultimately meant to be.

"Now I know humans have
a tradition, so…" reaching into the inner pocket of his green sports
jacket, Shamus produced the jade box with a golden crest adorning its lid.

Oh my god.
Suzanne
still couldn't speak; the whole thing seemed too surreal. The past few weeks
seemed to flash before her eyes – the happiest few weeks of her life
– as she watched him settle himself down on one knee in front of her. She
had no resistance left in her now, as she looked into his deep, dark, loving
eyes. Reaching out she touched the side of his face, her finger following the
line of his jaw.

He took her small, delicate
hands into his larger, stronger ones. Bringing them to his mouth he kissed them
lightly, before lowering them to her lap. "I know things are...
complicated. We still have so much to discuss, but there is one thing that is
clear and that thing is that we are meant to be together."

Suzanne let out a soft gasp
as Shamus opened the jade box to reveal a large gold, emerald and diamond ring.
It sparkled majestically in the moonlight. She was certain she'd never seen
anything as stunning or as perfect in her life.

"In all my years, I've
never had such intense feelings, such a desire for anyone as I do for you. I've
waited two-hundred and thirty-one years to find you and now that I have there
is nothing that could keep me away." Shamus paused in his monologue to
wipe away a stray tear that was making its way down Suzanne's left cheek.
"If you're concerned I'll eventually die if I stay with you, then you
should know that I would die
without
you."

"I don't know what to
say," Suzanne said softly, a second tear escaping and trickling slowly
down her cheek. She sniffed and wiped the tear with the sleeve of her sweater.

Shamus chuckled. "Well I
think this is the part of the procedure where I ask if you'll marry me and then
you accept." Shamus took the ring from the box and slipped it onto her
finger. "Suzanne Winters, will you marry me?"

Suzanne stopped fighting the
tears and emotions that had been welling up within her for days now, as she
threw her arms around his neck, kissing him thoroughly.

Shamus pulled back, raising
an eyebrow at her asking, "So that would mean...yes?"

Laughing, Suzanne nodded.
"Yes!"

Shamus placed the jade box he
had been holding on the ground. Reaching out he worked his fingers through her
long dark hair, holding the back of her head as his lips came crashing down
upon hers. A low growl escaped him as he deepened the kiss.

Suzanne's body came alive as
she clung to him, desperate to feel his soft, warm flesh under his clothing. It
had only been two days since they were last together, but at that moment it
felt as if it had been an eternity.

Shamus pushed her gently back
against the cool marble, as he nibbled the side of her neck. "So now that
that is settled, let's finish what we started here a couple weeks ago."

Laughing, Suzanne held on
tightly to her sexy leprechaun, secure in the knowledge that the rest of her
life would be filled with luck, love and happiness.

The End

To hear about Elixa's new releases and upcoming special
and promotions, please sign up for her newsletter. Rest assured we will not
spam your inbox.

Newsletter Sign-up

Contact Information

Website:
www.elixaeverett.com

Email:
[email protected]

Twitter:
Elixa Everett

Facebook:
Elixa Everett

Books 1 – 3

By Virginia Wade

Chapter One

A hundred and forty-four
turns on a winding forest road eventually brought us to our destination. A
sense of excitement rushed through me, not because this was Mt. Hood National forest,
but because I would be spending a week hiking and camping with Christopher
Vandekamp, who I had a crush on since eighth grade.

Shelly was the first out.
“I’m finding Bigfoot, bitches! Come get me, you hairy ape!”

I shook my head. “God.”

“Who let her loose?” asked
Leslie. “What a moron.”

I laughed, “It’s gonna be a
long week, if she keeps that up.”

“Everybody out,” said Mr.
Vandekamp. He was Christopher’s stepdad and our chaperone. “First come, first
served on the cabins, so you better hustle.”

I grabbed my backpack, as
did Leslie. We got out and met up with Cameron, Darren, and Shelly.

“Hey, Porsche,” said Darren.
“Nice backpack.”

It was a vibrant shade of
orange. “It’s for hunting.”

He smirked. “Aren’t those
supposed to blend in? I can see that thing for miles.”

“It’s so they don’t shoot
each other.”

He laughed, “Tell that to
Dick Cheney.”

“Ha, ha. You’re so funny.”

“Let’s go. Get your cabins,
kids, and, remember; it ain’t the Hilton.”

“Thanks, dad.”

He grinned. “I do what I
can, Chris.”

It was so early, there was
still dew on the ground. The warmth of the summer morning and the fresh air
added an extra spring to my step. I followed Shelly and Leslie down a small
path that ran along the edge of a shimmering lake. Cameron, Darren, and
Christopher had gone ahead, determined to stake their claims.

Shelly came up behind me.
“Mr. Vandekamp is smoking hot. His ass looks fabulous in those shorts.”

Leslie snorted. “You ho.”

“I’m ignoring that. All the
guys look hot.”

I had to agree. “It’s gonna
be a hardship having to spend a week with ‘em. I’m willing to suffer through
it, though.”

“You totally lust after,
Chris, Porsche. I know you do. Maybe you’ll hook-up?”

“We can only hope.”

A series of rustic looking
cabins spotted the lake’s edge. The boys had already grabbed theirs, and
Leslie, Shelly, and I would take the third one in. There was electricity,
remarkably, but no indoor plumbing. I knew we would be roughing it this week,
so this came as little surprise. There was a communal bathroom a short ways
off.

“Oh, jeez,” muttered Leslie.
“I’m probably gonna get eaten alive in here. There’s a damn mosquito right
there.” She pointed at the wall.

The interior of our cabin
smelled of rotting wood and mold. There was a tiny kitchen with a functional
cooktop and rustic furniture. The beds were small and unmade. We would have to
provide the sheets and blankets, which we had brought with us. I’d left most of
my things in the trunk of the car. I would retrieve them shortly.

Shelly sat on the bed and
played with her long, brown hair. “I’m not spending a lot of time in here. I
wanna change and lay out.”

“Fantastic idea,
Shelly-belly,” said Leslie. “Let’s get a tan.”

“I’m going back to the car.
Gotta get the rest of my shit.” As I headed out, I saw Mr. Vankedamp on the
trail. I caught up quickly.

He smiled at me. “How do you
like the cabin?”

I shrugged. “It’s all
right.”

“We’re only gonna be here a
day. I wanna head into the mountains.”

I groaned. “I know.” We
would be roughing it in the wilderness, exploring and hiking, which made me
slightly uneasy because I was scared of bears.

Walking around the car, I
saw myself in the side mirror. A tall, thin blonde stared back at me. I had on
green hiking shorts and a brown belt. My plain t-shirt did little to hide my
breasts, which I had to keep in check with a form fitting sports bra.

Mr. Vandekamp was behind me.
“You’re not gonna hate it, are you?”

“Hate what?” I grabbed a
duffle bag out of the trunk.

“Sleeping in the woods.”

“Just keep the bears away,
and I’ll be fine.”

“You need help carrying any
of that?”

“No, I think I got it.”

As I followed him back to
the cabins, I could not help noticing how nice his calves looked. His butt was
rounded and tight, stretching the material of his shorts.
Oh, yummy
. I
had never really paid that much attention to Christopher’s dad before. For an
older guy, he sure was in fine shape.

An hour later, I had on a
bikini. I lay out with Shelly and Leslie by the edge of the lake. Several
families had arrived, and the kids splashed in the shallow end. No motorized
boats were allowed, but someone had brought a canoe. Besides the occasional
buzzing insect, the only sounds came from the kids, who laughed and played
nearby. The guys had gone off to explore. We would be hiking tomorrow, and I
wanted to conserve my energy.

“Okay, so Cameron’s hot
too,” said Shelly. “Honestly, I wouldn’t mind any of the guys here. Even Mr.
Vandekamp.”

I laughed, “He’s got it
going on, for sure.”

“I like Darren,” said
Leslie.

“We got a week to hook up
with these guys,” said Shelly. “I want a boyfriend by the time this trip is
over.”

I sighed, enjoying the feel
of the sun on my back. “I just wanna get laid.” Shelly hit me. “Ouch!”

“You dirty whore.”

“Takes one to know one.”

“That’s real nice, guys,”
admonished Leslie. “Way to be ladylike.”

I laughed, “We’re about to
be forest hillbilly’s.”

“That’s the one thing I
don’t look forward to,” muttered Shelly. “I love toilets. I’ll miss them
somethin’ awful.”

“No shit,” I said.

“Exactly.”

After the guys got back,
they joined us at the edge of the lake. Mr. Vandekamp brought an inflatable
boat, and he spent what seemed like forty minutes pumping it up, all the while,
casting interested glances my way. I wasn’t blind to the attention men paid me.
I knew my face and my curves held their interest. My bikini top was hardly
adequate in covering my lady lumps, which seemed to want to escape on all
sides. I had to constantly adjust the material, which was annoying. I felt eyes
on me each time I did this. When it was seaworthy, the boys got in the dingy
and paddled out onto the lake.

“Let’s go swimming,” said
Shelly. “I’m hot.”

“Last one in’s a used
tampon,” laughed Leslie.

“That’s disgusting.” I ran
after them.

We spent the day at the
lake, and, as the sun began to dip behind the trees, we headed to our cabins to
prepare for dinner. The girls were responsible for making the salad, while the
boys would get the steaks ready. A small refrigerator kept our edibles fresh
and cold. I’d changed into a sundress that tied around my neck. Shelly and
Leslie had worn shorts and t-shirts. We met the guys by the lakeshore, where
Mr. Vandekamp had the grill going, preparing to place the steaks on the
scorching grates.

I sat on a blanket,
inadvertently giving Chris’s dad a view of my thighs and panties. A little
thrill shot through me, knowing that he was interested. More than interested,
actually. Pinpricks of excitement registered every time he glanced my way. My
female intuition told me that he was either the horny, cheating kind, or he
liked to flirt innocently, if given the chance. He was more than likely all
flirt and no action, which would be disappointing. Christopher had ignored me
all today. There were rumors he was dating Stephanie Canter, and, perhaps, that
would explain his lack of interest.

As we ate dinner, Shelly handed
me a sports bottle. I had a sip, nearly choking. It was straight up booze! I
whispered, “How’d you do this?”

“My brother got it for me. I
have three bottles of the stuff.”

“Three sport bottles?”

“No. Real bottles. Jack
Daniels and stuff.”

“Jesus.”

“I wanna have fun.”

“What if Mr. Vandekamp finds
out?”

She smiled naughtily. “We’ll
share with him, if he wants.”

I giggled, “I like that
idea.”

We sat by the fire, watching
the flames flick into the air, while music played at another campsite. I had
been sipping the sports bottle all evening, the girls passing it around
stealthily. Feeling the effects of a buzz, I giggled at the silliest things.

“Okay,” said Mr. Vandekamp.
“What the hell is in that bottle? Hand it over.”

Oh, shit!

Shelly shot me a look. “Um,
nothin’. Just Gatorade.”

“Yeah, I don’t think so,
dad. They’re acting way too silly.”

Mr. Vandekamp knelt before
me. “You wanna give me that bottle, Porsche?”

“No.” He smiled, and I began
to tingle something awful.

“Hand it over.” He snatched
it from me and unscrewed the lid, sniffing the contents. “Oh, boy! You girls
don’t play around, do you?”

I swallowed hard. Getting on
my knees, I stared at him. “Shush. Don’t tell anyone. Nobody has to know.”

He laughed, “You’re
blitzed.” The corners of his eyes crinkled charmingly.

“A little.”

“Who brought the booze?”

Shelly looked worried. “I
did. Look—”

“It’s all right. I’m just
giving you a hard time for not sharing.” He took a sip. “You girls are gonna be
trouble, aren’t you?” A flirty gleam shone in his eyes.

“I…would that be a bad
thing?”