Shifting Winds Read online

  “No worries, Colin. I’m not seeing him again.”

  Now, Colin gazed at her stupefied. “You’re completely off your rocker, Elysia. You want a one nighter, but you pick up the man least likely to be interested in one? On top of that, the man is interested in buying us out. He’s ruthless, dear sister, with a reputation for always getting what he wants. And you’ve now stepped right into his cross hairs. This is not going to go well.”

  Elysia bit back a sigh. She had a bad feeling that Colin was right. She glanced down at the card again and suppressed a shiver. She looked up into Colin’s worried midnight blue eyes. She loved him to death, but she needed to think without the distraction of his questions and concerns. She pushed the vase of tulips toward him.

  “Put that in the small visitation room,” she ordered.

  “That old vamp is in there. The one with no family.” Colin’s voice sounded puzzled.

  “Exactly. No one sent any flowers. He pre-paid for his visitation and service and no one’s come. Put the flowers in there. It won’t look so sad then,” she explained.

  Her brother got up and picked up the vase. “You’re making a big mistake with Declan Antaeus,” he warned her as he strode to the door.

  “You have no idea what I’m going to do, Colin.”

  Colin snorted in disgust. “Doesn’t matter what you do. It’s all a mistake. There is no winning with a man like him. Mark my words.”

  After Colin left, Elysia spun around in her chair, to gaze out the window at the expanse of green grass marked with upright tombstones. She didn’t want to replay the night before, but after her conversation with Colin it was inevitable…

  Chapter Two

  The Elvira costume made her look even more top heavy than usual. The black dress clung to every curve of her body and bared her chest almost to the navel. It had been a mistake to wear a sexy costume to the Undertaker’s Ball, but for some reason she hadn’t thought of that when she’d chosen the Elvira costume over the pixie costume, the only two costumes left in the shop in her size. Luckily, the thigh high slit in the front of the skirt allowed her legs to move or she couldn’t have walked. She could barely breathe in the tight dress and if it wasn’t for double sided tape, her breasts would have fallen right out of the almost non existent front.

  She stood, a few feet from the door, wondering why she’d let Marius talk her into this event. He’d been far more insistent than usual and she just got tired of telling him no. She’d been fighting off the onslaught of sexual tension for about as long as Marius had been bugging her to go to this event so she figured that maybe she could kill two birds with one stone and find someone to ease her stress.

  Her eyes flicked around the room and landed on a Robin Hood. She recognized him as Roy Salinger, owner of a company that made embalming tables. Newly divorced, about her age, and a vampire like herself, Roy in green tights wasn’t nearly as appealing as in jeans and a polo shirt. She figured it must be the skinny little bird legs. Tights were a tough costume to pull off. Roy hadn’t managed it and she felt a little sorry for him.

  Over by the bar, a swarthy Batman did manage to pull off tights. He had nicely muscled legs, a tight ass, a great package, rock hard abs… and a boyfriend dressed as Robin clinging to his arm. Elysia bit back a sigh. Bi-sexual Nestor Garcia had hit on her before, in the years before she’d become engaged to Austin. These days though, his little boyfriend, a cemetery broker named Josh Lloyd, kept him from touching women. Apparently, Josh was all woman… and man. At least enough of each to keep Nestor and his famous Roman hands in line.

  Speaking of Romans, Elysia spied some nicely tanned, muscular thighs in a short white toga near the champagne fountain. Brian Dumont, a werewolf on the management team at Antaeus International, stood beside a woman in a pink tutu. As she watched them, trying to remember Brian’s marital status, a tall man in a black robe walked up to them and handed the woman a drink. Easily six foot five, the man towered over everyone in the room. The hood of his Grim Reaper robes obscured his face and from the glint of light on its blade, he held a real scythe.

  Elysia’s heart began to pound. Only one man stood that tall—Declan Antaeus, one of the Antaeus brothers who owned Antaeus International, the biggest conglomerate in the Darkworld’s death care industry.

  Her attention caught by the black robed figured, she tensed when he turned. Their eyes met. Even across the crowded room, she could see how his gaze flared with heat. As she watched, he cut a path through the crowd toward her, his long fingered hand clutching the scythe. Her stomach clenched and she wondered if everything about him was big…

  “Elysia Granville.”

  His voice rumbled quietly from the depths of his wide chest. She looked up into his amber eyes and found them to be two golden flames, filled with lust and something else she couldn’t put her finger on.

  “Declan Antaeus.”

  Her lips curved into a seductive smile. Maybe she would just have to discover the truth of that old adage about big men. Declan was certainly handsome enough. Black hair that shone like a raven’s wing. Golden eyes that glowed as if lit by a fire within. Sun bronzed, supple skin. Beneath the baggy robe, she knew he had a tall and muscular body, the kind that looked best in a faded pair of jeans and a tank top that showed off his biceps.

  “Buy me a drink?” she purred, deciding to start as she meant to go on. She was horny. He was hot. Seemed like a match made in heaven to her.

  One dark brow winged up. “It’s an open bar. I’ll get you whatever your heart desires,” he told her in a voice filled with innuendo.

  Deciding the drink wasn’t necessary; Elysia stopped him from turning away by putting one hand on his arm. He looked back at her with a question in his eyes.

  “What if my heart desires something other than a drink? Will you get me that?” Her eyes held his boldly.

  Declan’s face became a mask of pure masculine desire. He cupped her elbow, just as he had three years ago at the convention, steering her toward the lobby. Once they were away from the crowd, he pushed back his hood and bent toward her. “Do you know what you’re doing, Elysia? What you’re inviting?” he growled softly.

  Elysia smiled at him, reaching up to stroke her fingers over his hard jaw line. His skin felt hot to the touch. Her whole body tingled and she could hear his heart beating, feel the rush of his blood in his veins. She drew in a breath, the scent of his blood tart and crisp in her nostrils, like biting into a Granny Smith apple… Her fangs slid from their sheath as her panties grew damp. Yes, Declan Antaeus was definitely the right choice. Her body already wanted him fiercely. None of the men at the ball would satisfy her now. Besides, backing down after coming on to a man like Declan wasn’t wise because he was easily the most powerful man at the party, both professionally and physically.

  “I’m not a child, Declan. I know exactly what I’m doing. Do you need me to spell it out for you?” She tilted her head to one side inquiringly, wondering if he would take her up on her offer or if this was just a game to him.

  His lips quirked. “Yeah. Maybe I do. After all, I’ve wanted you for a long time.”

  “Good. Then let’s get out of here so you can fuck me.”

  His eyebrows shot up at her blunt speech. “So I’m the only one to do the fucking? You’re not going to fuck me?”

  Elysia’s lips curved slowly into a smile. “I can if that’s what you’re into. Fingers or dildos?”

  Declan sucked in a breath and his eyes turned even hotter as they gazed down at her. “I think I’ve died and gone to heaven,” he growled as he took her elbow again and steered her out the door. “Where’s your car?”

  Elysia laughed softly. “Round one in the car?” One of her arched brows rose inquiringly.

  “Works for me,” he muttered.

  She shook her head. “My car’s over there.” She pointed to a little BMW Z4 Roadster.

  Declan eyed the little silver car and grunted. “I can’t even get in that toy.”

  “
Yours?” she asked breathlessly, as his fingers caressed her arm though the thin material of her dress.

  He hit the remote on his vehicle and the lights of a black Mercedes convertible flashed. Elysia made a face. “It’s not much bigger than mine,” she complained.

  Declan ignored her words. He stared at the granite of a mausoleum that had been illuminated by the headlights of his car. “C’mon,” he whispered, heading toward the imposing structure.

  Elysia felt a rush of excitement flood her veins like adrenaline. Her panties were sopping now. She’d always wondered what sex in the cemetery would be like, but she’d never had the opportunity to do it. In the past, her lovers had been horrified at the thought, even though her family owned the cemetery and getting caught wasn’t really a risk. Now, she was in another cemetery, on Halloween, at the Undertaker’s Ball where all her peers were partying, with a man she didn’t really know, and the risks were much higher.

  They slipped into the huge granite structure and Elysia tried to walk without her heels clicking on the slabs of polished stone. Declan had a good grip on her arm so she wasn’t worried about falling. She shuffled along beside him as they looked into corridor after corridor of the mausoleum. Finally, they found one where a bulb had gone out, leaving the farthest corner of the corridor in shadows.

  Once they reached the dark corner, Declan pressed her back against the marble crypts. A bronze marker dug into her hip, but she ignored it as his hands slid up her bare thighs under the Elvira dress. His mouth pressed against the side of her neck, licking her skin. A moan escaped her mouth, and he hissed in a breath, turning his head until his lips met hers.

  “Sssh,” he murmured, his tongue sweeping out to lick at her bottom lip.

  Heat enveloped her at the touch of his tongue. Hell. She hadn’t been this turned on in years. Even Austin hadn’t made this big a sexual impact on her. Her knees shook. Her heart raced. Her breathing was totally out of control. She clutched at the sleeves of the long reaper robe thinking he had on way too many clothes. He must have had the same thought because he pulled at the Velcro fastenings down the front of the robe, exposing his jeans and tank top.

  Elysia looked at his clothes in astonishment, thinking that her earlier thoughts had been so right. He looked better than a double cheeseburger and fries in the thin tank top and well-worn jeans. The Levis molded to his muscular thighs and she noticed a threadbare spot near his knee. The plain black tank top did nothing to disguise the muscular strength of his arms and chest. She reached out and pulled the hem free of his jeans, sliding her hands beneath the thin cotton to touch his rock hard abs.

  Declan hissed in his breath again and she could hear the rough pounding of his heartbeat. “Oh, Elysia.” His words were barely audible even to her sensitive ears.

  He bent his head, burying his face in her ample chest. Easing the double-sided tape gently from her skin, he freed her breasts. His tongue licked a trail of fire from the space between them to her collarbone. She shivered and his hands traveled the final few inches from her thighs to her ass, lifting her slightly against him so that their bodies aligned better.

  Now that he’d uncovered the tiny triangle of her satin thong, she rubbed herself against the hard bulge behind the button fly of his jeans. She could feel the muscles of his arms flexing as he held her against him. One hand gripped the satin ribbon of her thong and his fingers easily snapped it. The thong sagged and the scent of her arousal filled the space between them.

  “Elysia. There’s no turning back,” he whispered into her ear, his tongue tracing the delicate fluted edge.

  “Good,” she replied, her fingers sliding into the waistband of his jeans. She popped the buttons, thankful for whoever created the button fly.

  Declan’s amber eyes glowed like two flames in the darkness. She stared into them as her hands pushed aside the soft denim and delved into his boxer briefs. Her fingers closed around his straining shaft and his breath stopped for a moment. She smiled to herself, realizing that at least as far as Declan Antaeus was concerned; the old adage about big hands, big feet, big dicks was true. Squeezing him gently, her thumb found the slit at the end of the velvety head. Moisture seeped from it and she rubbed the sticky fluid over his heated flesh. His breathing returned with an audible rush. As she stared into his eyes, the pupils elongated.

  The faint acrid scent of smoke reached her and she saw that a tiny trail had escaped his nostrils. She gazed into his glowing eyes, the strange elongated pupils reminding her that he was a shifter, a dragon. The heat and strength of his body gave it away just as much as those unusual eyes did. When he bent to kiss her, his lips mashing against hers, she felt the fangs in his mouth. Her tongue flickered over them and she could tell that while they were longer and more curved than her own, they were just as sensitive.

  Declan’s arm wrapped her hips, holding her up against him. The iron band of his forearm cut into the soft flesh of her ass. She didn’t care. She let go of his thick cock and ground herself against him, her wetness sliding along his hard length. His golden eyes glittered feverishly into her violet ones.

  “This time quick and hard. Then we’ll go to my place. I want to savor you for hours,” he growled.

  “Shut up and fuck me already, Declan,” she panted, pulling his head down.

  Their mouths slid together, tongues and lips and fangs meeting in a sensual dance while Declan pressed Elysia’s shoulders against the cold marble of the crypts. His hands tilted her hips and he pressed his cock deep within her in a single thrust. Elysia’s eyes rolled back in her head as the head of his cock hit her G-spot. He held her at the perfect angle and she wondered how many women he’d fucked in this position.

  Her legs wound around him, her entire weight resting on his arms. She pulled up the tank top, her full breasts rubbing against his chest. He sucked on her tongue and rotated his hips. Her clit ground against his pubic bone and she moaned. Sounds of pleasure emerged from her with every rough twist of his hips and thrust of his cock.

  He tried to silence her with kisses, but she was desperate to touch him. Her mouth and hands feverishly roamed every part of him that she could reach. She couldn’t stop touching him as she rode his cock, thrusting against him, her pussy gripping him tightly, her lust-swollen flesh aching for release. He nipped her throat and a loud groan escaped her.

  “Holy fuck!” he whispered as he thrust into her. She instinctively clamped down on his pistoning cock at his words, making it even tighter for him.

  Another moan burst from her, but this time it was punctuated by the sound of footsteps echoing in the distance. Elysia blinked up at Declan. They couldn’t stop now! She grabbed his hood and pulled it down over his head. He leaned into her body, the black robe covering most of her. Declan bent his head to her face, taking her mouth in a deep kiss, the hood concealing both their faces.

  The footsteps drew closer, but filled with adrenaline and lust, Elysia ignored them, pushing herself against Declan’s hard body. The sound of his rough breathing filled her ears and she moaned again as he flexed within her. His pelvis rocked against hers, pressing on her clit. Heated waves of pleasure lashed her and as the footsteps neared the end of the corridor where they stood twined around each other, she felt the ripples start within her. Declan’s cock swelled and he thrust up into her hard.

  With a loud groan she came, her body jerking in orgasm as the shadow of a man fell across the end of the corridor. Declan leaned into her, pushing her against the crypts as he pumped his cock into her pussy one last time, his orgasm bursting over him. He growled loudly as his cum bathed her spasming pussy. Her flesh clutched at him and she felt his skin ripple with the force of his orgasm.

  “Madre de Dios! Es la Muerte!”

  The frightened whisper interrupted their mutual orgasm, but neither of them could look at the terrified cemetery worker. Moments later, he was gone, running from the building, howling again to the Mother of God about seeing Death.

  Elysia shook from the force of h
er orgasm. She could feel the warm gush of fluids down her thighs as her legs slid down and her feet hit the floor. She wobbled on the spike heels and Declan steadied her, pushing her against the crypts and leaning in to snatch another kiss from her.

  “Let’s get out of here before we really get caught,” he murmured, catching her ripped thong as it slid toward the floor.

  She stepped out of it and he thrust it into his jeans pocket. She watched as he stuffed his semi hard cock back into his briefs and buttoned his stained jeans. Then he fastened the reaper robe again, hiding the wet evidence of their coupling. Tucking her breasts back into the Elvira gown, Elysia took a couple of shaky steps. Instantly, Declan’s hand caught her arm, pulling her into the curve of his big hard body. He grabbed up the scythe and turned them toward the exit.

  Once outside, he walked her to her car and helped her in, leaning down into the open door. “Follow me to my place. We’ll be a lot more comfortable there,” he said in a low, deep voice.

  Elysia smiled up at him. “Oh, yeah. It’s my turn to fuck you, isn’t it?”

  Declan growled and she smelled the acrid scent of his smoke again even though she couldn’t see it. “Whatever you want to do, Elysia, is fine by me.” He pressed a hot open-mouthed kiss to her lips, his tongue flicking over her fangs. “Just follow me.”

  He shut her door and waited for her to buckle her seatbelt. Then he got into his Mercedes and pulled slowly out of the parking space. Elysia knew he kept looking for her in his rear view mirror on the drive to his condo. With her acute vampire eyesight, she watched the flash of his eyes in the mirror every time he glanced into it. At his condo, he had her park her car beside his in his garage. It was a simple act, the logical thing to do under the circumstances, but there was an intimacy to it that made Elysia wonder crossly how many other women had parked their car next to his.

  When Declan closed the big garage door and led her to the access door, she felt a strange frisson run down her spine. The feel of his hand in the small of her back, the scent of sex on them both, and the sight of the narrow white painted door with tools on hooks along one side of it… all combined to give her a strange sense of déjà vu.