Dark and Damaged: Eight Tortured Heroes of Paranormal Romance: Paranormal Romance Boxed Set by Colleen Gleason Read Free Book Online Page B

she tasting him, pushing herself up into him.
    Seamus deepened the kiss, taking what he could. Bree tasted of spice and the night, heat and everything that was good. He tasted her deep sorrow as well, a sadness she couldn’t shake, and her need. Bree had so much need. She was hungry, this woman, and no one had filled that craving within her.
    Pain snatched at him and wouldn’t relent. Seamus could take her with him, keep her next to him, whatever happened. Bound as one, mates.
    He tightened his embrace, kissing her harder. Bree answered with as bold a kiss. She needed him, and he her. Primal, basic need.
    Bree wrapped her arms around his neck, her unfettered breasts scooping against him. Bree’s back was a pliant line, drawing his hands along it to her buttocks. Soft flesh met his touch, their position rubbing her abdomen right over his cock.
    If five and more Shifters hadn’t been ready to charge the house and break down the door, Seamus would have lowered Bree to the stairs and relieved his frenzy then and there. Swift thrusts while she clung to him, the sounds Bree made in her throat escalating to full cries as they reached the breaking point together.
    For now, Seamus could only touch her, kiss her, drink in her warmth against the coldness that was to come.
    “Any time you’re ready, Seamus.”
    Nadine’s quiet voice came from above. Bree abruptly broke the kiss, her eyes wide, face flushed, her breathing rapid.
    Nadine peered over the banisters at them, the shotgun held carefully so the barrel pointed upward.
    Seamus turned his back and walked away, moving on down the stairs. If he stayed, if he looked at Bree one second longer, he’d never go, and he knew it.
    ***
    Bree had forgotten how to breathe, talk, maybe even stand. She held herself up against the wall, trying to find her balance, while her entire body rejoiced at the kiss.
    Seamus had held her like a lover, as though they’d been together for years instead of meeting for the first time last night under dire circumstances. His kiss had been hot, strong, thorough, hinting at what fever could be had from a night in bed with him.
    Above him, her mother was watching in disapproval. Bree couldn’t raise her head to look up at Nadine, but the weight of the disapproval was like a blanket dropping on her head.
    Worse still was the cold slap of Seamus walking away. He was running from her into danger—no way could he evade that bunch of scary-looking Shifters waiting for him outside.
    Bree shoved herself away from the wall and ran on shaking legs after him.
    From the kitchen, Seamus yelled, “Nadine ...
now!
”
    Her mother must have gotten herself back in position, because the shotgun went off twice—
bang! bang!
Next came a few moments of silence while Nadine reloaded, then the gun went off again.
    The Shifters outside were shouting. Bree hit the kitchen in time to see Seamus slip out the back door. Bree ran to the door and sheltered herself behind it while she looked out into the dawn.
    Seamus had already vanished. One smudge of dirt on the wooden steps showed he’d passed, but where he’d gone, Bree couldn’t see.
    Her heart wrenched, her extremities going numb. When they’d gotten word about Remy, she’d felt a bit like this—the entire world changing while she stood there, unable to stop it. She’d lost Remy, and she was losing Seamus, and there wasn’t a damn thing she could do about it.
    A roar like that of a primeval beast rolled across the field beyond the house. It caught Bree, vibrated the windows, shook the porch. Another roar answered it, this one different, quicker, touched with rage.
    A lion came bounding out of the field. It had a black mane, a lithe muscular frame, giant paws, and tawny eyes. Lion eyes. Seamus’s eyes.
    Right behind it was the biggest Bengal tiger Bree had ever seen in her life. Not that she’d seen many, but she’d stood by their enclosures in zoos. Those tigers had been big and intimidating enough—this tiger