The Perils of Paula Read online

  Evernight Publishing

  www.evernightpublishing.com

  Copyright© 2011 Amarinda Jones

  ISBN: 978-1-926950-80-8

  Cover Artist: LF Designs

  Editor: Kimberly Bowman

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

  WARNING: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be used or reproduced electronically or in print without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews.

  This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, and places are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  THE PERILS OF PAULA

  Bad Boys, 1

  Amarinda Jones

  Copyright © 2011

  Prologue

  Present day

  Paula rolled over, her thigh rubbed against one man, her hands reached out for another. She smiled. “I’m naked and in bed with two men. Can life get any better?” Her fingers strayed down to one cock as her ass pushed against the other. “Anything this good has to be wrong somehow.” She hadn’t felt this happy or desirable in ages.

  “How can it be when it feels so right?” One of the men asked, his lips fastening on her breast.

  The suction on her nipple was amazing. Paula sighed and closed her eyes as the fingers of her other lover slide into the crack of her ass. Paula shivered slightly as one digit probed her anus. She was exhausted from being plowed by cock. But it was a good exhausted. A happy tiredness that had Paula feeling more alive than she had in ages.

  “My turn.”

  Paula held her breath and looked at the dark haired man who entered the bedroom. He was gorgeous, as they all were. But this man? There was something more to him. Every time Paula saw him, her heart skipped a beat. It was madness of course. It’s not like we could ever be more than just lovers, and yet...

  Paula shook her head. There was no place for ‘yets’ in her life. This was what it was. He had made no mention of love or forever so wanting such was pure whimsy on her part. This was pure sex with gorgeous men and wishing it was more was pointless. That she was in bed with two lovers and a third wanted to join in should be taken as just that. While other women might not have understood it, being with multiple lovers made Paula feel good about herself and them. So why ruin it with crazy wishes?

  “This is not the time to think, sweetheart. I need to fuck you and I know you need me.”

  Paula smiled at the frankness of his need. To give in to desire and not worry about what others thought gave Paula a sense of relief. She could be who she wanted to be without others questioning. Paula saw the look of lust in the eyes of the dark man. She felt the same way. Desperately. As for the other men? They were lovely, desirable, and fun to be with. But the dark-haired man? He was different. Paula felt a hunger for him she never dreamed she would feel for another. I know I’ll starve when I walk away from him. And she would have to. Paula knew that. This is not my life.

  That she was under the command of these men was thrilling. They were aiding and protecting her, and no one had done that in a long time. It was nice to rely on another’s strength. But one day that protection would no longer be needed, and then what? She pushed at the head of the man at her breast and decided to ignore worrisome thoughts and enjoy the moment. “Sorry, boys. You heard the man.” I need to be with him for however long this lasts.

  He reached out his hand to her. To not take it wasn’t something Paula would have considered. He extracted her from between the other two men and started to lead Paula to another room.

  A fourth man appeared, tugging on his dick. “What about me?”

  “The lady is mine for now. Come back and join us later.”

  The blond haired man nodded and left.

  I could so easily be yours forever. Paula followed her dark lover. They came to a halt in the cool, white bedroom. He kicked the door shut, pulled her into his arms, and kissed her. Paula collapsed against him. It was the sort of kiss that made her feel like all the bones in her body had turned to jelly and she needed his support, his touch, to keep her strong.

  “Sweetheart?” His lips left hers and his tongue trailed down to her jaw line.

  “Yes?” Paula knew what he was about to do. She craved the need for the hot, raw heat to surge within her once more.

  “You know, this doesn’t solve our problem.” His teeth grazed the skin of her neck.

  Paula shivered and held him closer. “No, but as a diversion, it’s fantastic.”

  He laughed and slapped her ass. “Yes, but I need to protect you from the shadows. I need you to be safe.

  “I only care that you want me.” Her eyes locked with his. Paula knew in her heart this wasn’t a one-sided attraction.

  “Oh, I do.” His voice was soft and full of need. “I can’t believe after all this time I’ve found you.”

  “But the other boys—”

  “They give you pleasure and I could never deny you that.”

  I love him. It would have been crazy to say the words out loud, but she knew in her heart it was true. How long they would be together was unknown. All Paula could do was live for the moment. “Let me give you pleasure.” She tilted her head so her neck was fully exposed to his mouth. “Please.” For however long this lasted, Paula wanted to please her lover.

  His mouth descended on the thin, pale skin just above her jugular vein and kissed it in a slow, sucking motion.

  Paula closed her eyes and held on for what she knew would come next. As his fangs pierced her skin, she cried out but not in fear. It was a cry of satisfaction that her lover could find what he needed in her. “Oh, darling…”

  Chapter One

  Two days ago

  Orion Chevalier had been watching the group of shadowy figures for only a minute, and yet he knew they were trouble. He sighed. They weren’t zombies. This group was worse than that. They had the intelligence and the sheer street cunning zombies lacked. Added to that, they were indistinguishable. These beings were neither light nor darkness. They were fleeting shades of light who were impossible to track let alone capture. “Fucking shadows. This is not what we need right now.” Orion was tired of dealing with threats and drama. He wanted a simple life. After all the centuries he’d lived, one of the things he craved the most was peace. Why do we have to keep saving the bloody world? His kind had been doing it since the dawn of time, and there were days he was sick to death of it.

  “I’m right, aren’t I?” Patrick Delacourt nudged his arm.

  They were standing in plain view of those they watched. There was no point hiding. Paranormal beings could always sense the presence of another from the supernatural world. Besides, hiding indicated fear. Vampires feared nothing. We’re stupid like that. “Yes.” Orion had wanted to prove Patrick wrong, but he knew in his heart that wasn’t the case.

  “We could walk away.”

  If only. Orion sighed. “But it’s not our style.” That was their problem. Vampires never walked away from a battle. They preferred to die on their feet than live on their knees.

  Patrick smiled. “No, we like the complicated stuff. So, do you agree they’re here because of the woman?”

  “Yeah, but I still don’t know why her.” That was the puzzling thing. Their intended target was no one of any great power, and yet the information they had indicated she was who they were after. “She’s average and normal, and from what I can tell, there isn’t a supernatural bone in her body.”

  “Correct, but we know the shadows seek to touch those who are destined to go on and change the world for the greater good of mankind. Not all humans have this genetic quirk. We both know it isn’t som
ething anyone else can see.”

  That was true. The shadows were evil beings who had been around as long as vampires. Their whole purpose in life was to change the course of human history and not allow those who would enrich it to either live or have the power to do so. It was their only aim in life. It was why so many ordinary, everyday people’s lives suddenly ended in tragic deaths, making others wonder about fate. Of course, few knew it had nothing to do with karma. The shadows’ goal was simple. Destroy their target therefore killing any good intention within them.

  “We have to save her.” They were vampires. They saw and felt things faster than anyone else. That was why they stayed alive so long. Contrary to Hollywood opinion, vampires could die if the odds were stacked against them. They also saved more human lives than anyone realized.

  “Yes,” Patrick agreed. “It’s the right thing to do. Besides, she’s kind of cute, has a hell of a body, and I wouldn’t mind getting rewarded by the lady for our assistance.”

  Orion assessed the woman in question as she made her way along the city street. He had to concede she had the curves that made a man long to touch and taste. While his cock hardened with need, there was also another unnamed feeling that washed over him. Was it longing? A feeling of kindred souls meeting? Or have I been a vampire too bloody long to be able to tell the difference between romance and reality? Orion shook his head. Focus on sex and not what you can’t have. Few vampires found the love of their life. He didn’t expect to be one of them. “Yes, she is indeed most delectable.”

  “The perfect buddy fuck for us.”

  “Possibly.” In the past, he and Patrick had enjoyed sharing one woman at the same time. Though both were straight, they loved the feeling of having a woman sandwiched between them as they took her body. It was a quirk that had bonded them throughout the centuries. But of late? I just want more. He understood lust. He knew people needed more than one lover, but there were times he just wanted to come home to one person who understood him. His eyes stayed on the woman. I will not let the shadows touch her.

  “These misbegotten sons of hell are not going to beat us.” Patrick’s voice had a hard edge of determination to it.

  Orion smiled. “Could you for once pretend not to read my mind?”

  “Sorry, man. If you like you can read my mind.”

  “You only ever think of women and sex.” That wasn’t bad per se, but life was never as simple as that.

  “Is there anything else?” Patrick winked.

  “I wish there wasn’t.” Women, while complicated, were a delicious distraction. Orion’s gaze went back to their enemies. There were so many shifting undercurrents in the tropical city of Cairns right at that moment. While there were the normal paranormal dregs of society—the goblins, the shape shifters and the demonic, the shadows were different. They were specific, astute and cold-blooded. They only appeared when they wanted something, and once they acquired it, they were gone just like a shadow. It was damn hard to fight beings who technically were no more than a play of light. And as for numbers? There could be three shadow people in a group or twenty-three such was the lack of their definition.

  Patrick nodded. “Ignatius confirmed she is definitely their next victim.”

  Tattoo artists like their friend Ignatius heard all the talk on the street. Although he was a human, he saw and understood all aspects of life better than most. Orion considered him psychic. Ignatius called it ‘being a good judge of character’. “Did Ignatius say how?” Orion knew this was unlikely. While Patrick heard a lot, most of it wasn’t specific due to the fact that while Patrick was on board with fighting evil, any woman who crossed his path could make his thoughts stray. He wasn’t surprised when Patrick shook his head. “So we keep close to the woman.”

  The other vampire grinned, his fangs gleaming. “I don’t have a problem with that.”

  “We’re trying to save our part of the world not get you laid.”

  “Come on, wouldn’t you like to fuck her?”

  Orion watched the sway of the woman’s ass. “Oh yes. But business before pleasure.”

  ****

  Paula Prince looked over her shoulder. She could feel someone watching her. But other than the usual people on the street, no one stood out or even looked at her. “It’s been such a crap week. Naturally, to top it all off I’m having paranoid delusions. Perfect.”

  She pushed open the door to Ignatius Ink. “A tattoo will take my mind off stuff.” That wasn’t true, of course, because of overdue bills and looking for a new job, and if she read the letter from her landlord correctly, a new apartment. “Fucking fantastico,” Paula mumbled to herself. “Can this day get any better?”

  ****

  “She’s the one.”

  “Yes.” There was no dispute about it. “The vampires are watching.” That was annoying. To the shadows, vampires were their natural enemy. They wanted to take the woman when they were ready to and not have to worry about the vampires interfering.

  “Yes. I know. I don’t care if they watch.” There were no leaders or names in the realm of the shadows. They were one indistinct mass that shared the same thoughts and goals. Unlike other species, they had co-existed as a co-operative for thousands of years. Few knew of them. But many unwittingly knew their handiwork. Their job was to destroy anyone destined to benefit humankind. That such a person could be allowed to exist was unacceptable to them. The shadows knew there had to be a balance between good and evil. Good people were needed as they were soft and malleable to the plans of the evil. War only occurred because the good were weak. If people ordained to be heroes, like this woman, were allowed to live, then that counteracted their plans and they couldn’t allow that. She had to die or be weakened to the point of being a vegetable and of no use to anyone.

  “The vampires are dangerous.”

  “As are we. But we have the upper hand.”

  “Because this is a woman, and they think with their dicks, which means they are bound to lose.”

  “Correct.”

  Chapter Two

  “What sort of a name is Chev?” Paula Prince was having her second tattoo done. She looked from her tattoo artist Ignatius to the man who’d just walked into the shop. She’d known the heavily inked Ignatius for several years. It was only recently she’d decided to get some tattoos done. And the man who was surveying her thigh with such interest? Tall. Dark. Intriguing. Just the way I like ‘em. Ignatius had introduced him as ‘Chev’ and she knew there was more to the name and the man than appeared. He was someone she was instantly drawn to look at. Some men were like that. He can lust after my bare thigh anytime.

  “His real name is Orion Chevalier,” Ignatius added.

  “Orion?” The hunter. He looked like a man who could hunt and trap his prey. “Ah, okay, I get why they call you Chev.” She smiled at him. “Orion’s kinda nerdy for a name.” It wasn’t, but she enjoyed teasing hot-looking men. In essence, Paula was a flirt. Orion Chevalier was the sort of man a woman wanted to play with. As for his name. Orion was perfect. There was a dark, enigmatic quality about this man.

  “What sort of a name is Paula?” Orion’s eyes were on the tattoo being inked. “Kind of boring and 1970’s like.”

  Good point. Her hippy-free-love-everything-is-groovy mother had actually named her Rebel Moonflower Yeti after several joints and a fast, natural, water birth in a commune in the hillside near the rainforest village of Kuranda. When Rebel Moonflower Yeti had been handed over to her maternal grandparents because her mother couldn’t cope with anything other than rainbow philosophy and hallucinogenic substances, the first thing to change was her name. She became Paula. All things considered, it was easier to deal with than Rebel Moonflower Yeti. “I like my name so piss off.” She smiled a go-fuck-yourself grin as she peered at the dark man’s teeth. They appeared to be uneven. There was something extra sexy about a handsome man with flaws.

  “Me too and right back at you.”

  Smart-ass. I like that in a man. “You k
now, you’d be kind of attractive if you made an effort.” He was wearing a long, black coat that brushed his ankles, a black shirt buttoned up to the throat, and black trousers that skimmed his long legs perfectly. And what was with the John Lennon round glasses and the hair pulled back in a ponytail? Was he going for the Mr. Mysterious look, or did he have a crap sense of fashion?

  Orion smiled. “You think?”

  “Yeah, you need some lightening up.” She looked into his eyes. Blue. Clear. Age-old. They were as enigmatic as his clothes. “Your dark clothes tell me you’re hiding something.”

  “Really? Interesting,” Orion responded unperturbed. “Want me to strip?”

  Yes. “No.” Yes. “Um, that won’t be necessary.” After her last disastrous relationship—was that what it could be called when you dated a loser named Darrin who looked and tasted delicious but ripped off your life savings in her bank account? You do not need a man. Naked men, while good, are bad. And keep your legs together. It was the new mantra she’d chosen to chant. The last mantra had been don’t eat chocolate. That one lasted all of twenty-two minutes. Paula moved her bare thighs closer together.