like me.”
“I’m more like you than you’ll admit. I just add a lot of my own flair to it. Live it up, Mother. We only get one life. I’m not about to waste it. Besides, there’s a new baby coming. We should celebrate that. And my costume win, of course.” Pulling back, I watch as my mom rolls her eyes, which causes me to grin.
I take Lilah in my arms and dance for an hour or two. I honestly have no idea how long. Mom said she was taking Jupiter to Italy with her and Dad, so we have the night to ourselves. While I do want to get my mate home and make sweet love to her, there’s something magical about holding her while we dance among our friends and family.
Halloween isn’t just about the candy or the costumes. Although, I have to say, I love both of those things. It’s about being together with those you love. Celebrating another holiday, another season. While so many humans love to dress up and scare others, little do they know about the true monsters who exist. We may not lurk in the dark. Okay, some of us do. Not everyone is as outgoing as I am. Vampires do drink blood to survive. People can shift into animals. Mages can cast spells and help heal others. And fae can perform magic unlike anything I’ve ever seen.
We’re not creatures, though. We’re not to be feared or to be hunted. We’re just like everyone else, only stronger, faster, and some of us are immortal. The good ones—the ones I know and love—keep humans and other paranormals safe. We make sure humans don’t discover us and can sleep every night in peace from what they don’t know exists.
Sometimes Halloween isn’t what you think it will be. I certainly didn’t expect to have my snack ruined and to be abducted. I can’t help but still think about that turkey leg. I bet it would have been damn good.
We’ve got to roll with the punches. Or the magic. Whatever.
I focus on Lilah in my arms. I hold her tight and thank fate she’s the one who was chosen for me.
The party goes on for hours longer. We could have lost ones we love tonight. My brother and I are pretty confident in our skills; however, we can still be killed. We could have lost Ari, Caspian, Eaton, or others. There’s no way to tell what would have happened had Anlyn not gotten her hands on Ford and me.
So, for as long as I want to, I’m going to hold my kitten close, revel in the warmth she provides me, and love her for the rest of my life.
Want More?
Want more of Michelle Dare’s paranormals? You can read about the characters you met in this story in The Ariane Trilogy and the Paranormals of Avynwood series which are available on Amazon and in Kindle Unlimited.
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About Michelle Dare
Michelle Dare is a USA Today Bestselling Author. Her stories range from sweet to sinful and from paranormal to contemporary. There aren’t enough hours in the day for her to write all the story ideas in her head. When not writing or reading, she’s a wife and mom living in eastern Pennsylvania. One day she hopes to be writing from a beach where she will never have to see snow or be cold again.
Love in Pieces
Natasha Raulerson
Created to be the perfect woman, Lenore only loves Erik. But when another man becomes obsessed, her reality is questioned.
Copyright
Love in Pieces by Natasha Raulerson
Copyright © 2020
All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners
Prologue
Erik constructed her from corpses. It sounded crude, and maybe it was. He only used parts from fresh cadavers. Women