Sam’s Silver Wolf
by Kate Hill
Series: Silver Hearts
Universe: Pandemonium
Format(s): Ebook
Heat Level: Erotic
Pairing(s): M/F
Genre/Themes: Age Gap, Inst-Love, Paranormal, Shapeshifters, Dark Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Magic
Length: Novella
Purchase Links: Amazon / Apple / Barnes & Noble / kobo / Scribd / Smashwords
Stalker – I’m a rogue wolf. No club. No gang. No pack. I’m free, and that’s how I like it. Roaming the streets in a Santa suit to antagonize demons into a fight, I meet her—the Wild witch who changes my life. I want Sam the moment I see her, but can a lone wolf fall in love at first sight?
Sam – I’m a Wild. That means I have warrior witch blood in my veins. I messed up, though, and someone I care about got hurt. To fix the situation, I’m in what’s left of Boston looking for demons so I can test a new spell. I’m not expecting a gorgeous silver wolf to protect me, and I’m not trying to fall in love, but one look at Stalker, and I know we were born for each other.
Note: Sam’s Silver Wolf is a very short age gap paranormal insta-love story with a little plot, a lot of heat, and a HEA.
Excerpt:
Chapter One
Stalker
In December, there’s no better way to attract demons’ attention than to dress like Santa and comb these Boston streets looking for trouble. That explains why I’m in a crappy red suit and hood stomping down a dark alley toward a pair of lizard demons who’ve cornered a human woman. I know what she is by her scent. It’s a little spicy and a little sweet. She’s wearing a black ski mask—can’t blame her in this weather—and a bulky winter coat.
I’m Stalker, and I’m a rogue wolf. That’s uncommon, or so they say. I don’t know how “they” know because rogues live alone. No club. No gang. No pack. Okay, so we were all born into a pack, but we strike out on our own early. If the pack needs us, most rogues will answer the call. When the trouble is over, we disappear again. That’s how we operate. No ties, and that’s how I like it. Another thing I like is a good fight, and I’m about to get one.
“Hey! Salamander Face,” I shout. Both demons turn to me with their beady black eyes. Their forked tongues flick out between their pale lips. Skin the color of pond scum stretches over their elongated faces. “Yeah. I’m talking to you. Ugly sons of bitches. You want trouble? Come and get it.”
The lizard demons lose interest in the woman and race toward me. I’m ready. Growling deep in my chest, I pick up my pace to meet them, shifting to half man, half wolf mid-stride. It feels good to change. The surge of power. Energy. Strength. Canine teeth elongate, stretching my gums. Hair sprouts from my skin.
Lizard demons are fast, but I’m faster. For the next few minutes, it’s a tangle of their scaly limbs with my furred ones. Their claws slash through my Santa suit. It stings, but that only whets my appetite. My clawed hands swipe across a demon’s throat, slicing its scaly flesh to the bone. Blood spurts in the snow. The remaining lizard springs at me, but I catch it by its shoulders, pin it to the graffiti covered brick wall behind us and rip out its throat with my teeth. Shit, it feels good.
I drop the limp body and wipe my mouth with the back of my hand.
“Why the hell did you do that?” the woman demands, pulling off her mask and stomping toward me through the gory snow.
“Do what? Save your damn life?” I growl.
“No, screw up my test.” She tosses her hands in the air. Rich brown eyes glare at me from a face so pretty that even her look of rage doesn’t detract from it. If anything, it makes her even sexier. “I’ve been working on a new defensive spell for weeks and spent hours tonight looking for lizard demons to test it on. Then you come along—typical badass wolf—and stick your snout in my business.”
Torn between annoyance and amusement, I curl my lip at her. “You’re batshit crazy, darlin’. Typical witch. You and your spells. Trust me, the best way to deal with demons is with claw and fang. Brute strength. No fairy magi—”
She gasps and thrusts her hand toward me. At first I think the crazy lady is using a spell on me. Sure, wolves are immune to most magic, but objects aren’t. I’ve seen witches control things with their mind—even stop bullets from leaving a gun. She’s not attacking me, though.
Her magical energy hits its target with a loud crack followed by a wail. I spin in time to see a shadowy form sink to the ground and disappear into the snow, leaving behind only a sooty substance. A shadow-like demon. They have no scent, but they can choke you to death before you know what hit you.
“Wow.” She exhales noisily and shakes her head. “That was close.”
“Too close.” I feel like an overgrown jackass. Here I am, thinking I saved her life, and she ends up possibly saving mine. I hate to admit I’m wrong, and I can’t stand owing anybody anything. Saying thank you leaves a bitter taste in my mouth, especially when I’m thanking a human witch who’s probably half my age for saving my life. Still, she did the deed, and I need to own my failure. “Thanks.”
“Don’t choke on it, Silver Wolf.”
I give a short laugh. “Silver Wolf. I kinda like that.”
“Well, I’d better find more lizard demons. They don’t come out as much in winter weather. Try to stay out of trouble, Silver Wolf.” She turns and struts out of the ally. That’s a dismissal, but I’m not having it.
I catch up to her. “I live for trouble. Magic or not, walking these streets alone at night is stupid.”
She raises an eyebrow at me. “Then why are you doing it?”
“I’m a wolf.”
“Which is even stranger. Doesn’t your kind usually hunt in a pack?”
“Then call me unusual.” We emerge from the alley and onto the main road. Not that it makes much difference nowadays in this city of wrecked buildings, broken streetlights, and demons wreaking havoc. “You know what’s strange to me?”
“No clue.”
“That a witch like you is roaming the streets on Christmas Eve instead of hanging out with your family and friends at some secret celebration.”
Since the demon occupation, nearly all holidays have been outlawed. Celebrating Christmas is a crime punishable by death, and with demons, there are no trials. No justice system. They either kill you where you stand, or imprison you for a slow death. I know what you’re thinking. I’m calling this witch batshit crazy, but I’m running around in a Santa suit. Talk about irony.
“I’m doing this for my family and friends,” she says with a determined set to her jaw. “I come from a long line of warrior witches. We slacked off for a while because there wasn’t anyone to fight, but we started training again just before the demon occupation. We’ve caught up fast.”
“What’s your name, darlin’?”
She stops walking and so do I. It’s a full moon tonight. There’s nothing like it. It fills me with energy. Raw desire. She’s adding to it, this sexy witch. She stares at me with those brown eyes that seem to reach into my soul. Her scent changes. It’s muskier. She’s aroused, too. Oh yeah. My heart beats a little faster and I’m starting to get hard. The moon. The witch. Shit, this is either going to be a fucking great night or a frustrating one.
“I keep thinking about the fairytales.” She continues staring at me and I force myself not to reach down to adjust my cock. Good thing for baggy Santa pants.
“What?”
“Little Red Riding Hood. The Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing.”
“Hang on. In those stories the wolf pretends to be something he’s not. That ain’t me. I kill demons, not innocent witches.”
“Are you so sure I’m innocent?”
“How about you let me find out?”
“Ohhh. You don’t do subtle very well.”
“I’ve never been subtle in my life. You still haven’t told me your name.”
“Sam Wild. And you?”
“Stalker, but you can call me Silver Wolf. Only you.”
She rolls her eyes, but she doesn’t fully hide her grin. “With lines like that, I think Stalker suits you better.”
“Are you seriously looking for more lizard demons?”
“Uh, yeah.” She smacks her palm to her forehead and stares at me like I’m one beer short of a six pack. “That’s why I’m out here freezing my ass off.”
I wouldn’t mind warming her up, but I don’t want to push my luck. Better to ease off for a while. Let her know she can trust me.
“I can smell some in the area. Lizard demon.” I jerk my thumb toward another alley. “That way.”
“Thanks. You’ve helped. Now get out of here.”
I laugh. “I don’t take orders from an alpha, so I ain’t taking them from you, little witch.”
“Listen, I appreciate your help, but I don’t need it. I’m doing this on my own.”
“Bad idea.”
“Just back the hell off!” She glares, her fists clenched. If she were a guy, we’d probably be kicking the shit out of each other right about now.
I don’t know why she’s so pissed off, but if she wants to try taking out a lizard demon on her own, she can go for it.
Seeing that I’m not about to argue, she backs up a few steps and then heads down the alley. She’s not big or tall, and if I hadn’t seen her use magic, I’d think she’s suicidal, walking down that alley knowing a lizard demon lurks there. Her determination is obvious in her confident steps, but her smell changes again. Fear.
Why did she tell me to leave?
I shift to full wolf form. Like this, I can move on two legs or four. I follow her silently. She won’t know I’m here until she needs me.
In the alley, the lizard demon faces her. It cocks its head and its tongue glides over its lips. Hissing softly, it walks toward her. It’s clothed in black leather—pants, boots, a long coat. Its long, clawed hands flex. It picks up speed in a blink, and I tense, ready to attack, but Sam reacts fast. She pushes her hands forward while chanting words I don’t recognize. The demon hisses louder and recoils. It drops to the snow, writhing for a few seconds before going still.
Sam approaches cautiously to examine the body. It’s dead, though. I can’t hear its heartbeat.
She sighs deeply and squats down, pressing her hands to her head. I walk toward her slowly.
Bat-like demons drop from the sky. Shit. Those little bastards are the worst. They attack in a giant swarm, slashing at me and Sam with razor sharp claws. She hits them with spells, but there are too many. They always work that way. Kill one and ten more replace it.
There’s an oversized trash bin nearby. We can hide in there until the swarm passes.
Ignoring the pain of dozens of tearing claws, I pounce on top of Sam, protecting her with my furred body.
“Save yourself, Stalker!” she screams. “There’s too many of them!”
Growling, I drag her toward the trash bin. Lifting the heavy lid with one hand, I toss her into the receptacle with my other. I dive in after her and the lid slams down. Outside, bodies beat against the trash bin. Claws scratch the metal.
Sam and I are squashed against bags of old, rotten trash. Even the cold weather doesn’t do much to stop the smell. The witch is trapped beneath me. Her face presses against my hairy chest. Her small body wriggles. Hell, even in this stinking pit of trash with bat demons trying to claw the shit out of us, she turns me on. I’m hard again. It’s been a long time since I’ve been with woman or wolf. A long time since I’ve wanted to get this close to anyone. Sam Wild does something to me. She reaches a primitive part of me that’s as strong as the desire to hunt and as powerful as the need for freedom.
“Stalker, I think they’re gone,” she whispers.
“Sit tight a minute. I’ll check.” I open the lid a crack and glance around. Yeah. They won’t be hanging out at eye level. Drawing a deep breath, I open the lid more and look up. Only buildings loom around us. That beautiful full moon does its best to glow through a haze of demonic smog. I push the lid fully open. “We’re good. Come on. It stinks in here.” I climb out and offer her my hand.
“Yeah. It smells like ass.” She takes my hand, and I help her out of the bin. She stumbles on a patch of ice and I steady her.
Tilting her gaze up to mine, she looks vulnerable. I want to hold her. Kiss her. Fuck her.
“Thanks,” she says softly. “I’d probably be dead if you hadn’t been here.”
“I owed you one.” I smile a bit and use my thumb to wipe a plug of old salsa off her smooth cheek. Hell knows what else is clinging to both of us after hiding in that bin. Her pretty face is scratched in places from the bat demons’ claws. “I think we need to get cleaned up.”
“Yeah. Stalker look at you.” A worried expression crosses her face as her gaze sweeps me.
Blood mats my fur. The silver color makes the gore look worse than it is, even though those claw marks sting. At least I took the brunt of the attack. I don’t want to think about what those little bastards would have done to her smooth human skin. Besides, I’m already starting to heal. That’s one of the benefits of being a wolf—we regenerate from most injuries.
“I’m fine, Sam, except for the stink. Nothing a hot shower won’t help.”
She holds my gaze again, this time with more warmth. “My place is about a block away.”
“I’ll walk you home, if you think you can trust this big, bad wolf.”
Smiling, she takes my hand and tugs. “Come on.”
Social:
