Ever After Read online

  Ever After

  A Paranormal Anthology

  Ever After

  A Paranormal Anthology

  By: Carrie Ann Ryan, Marie Harte, Rebecca Royce, Lia Davis, and Leia Shaw

  Published by Fated Desires Publishing, LLC.

  Formatted by IRONHORSE Formatting

  ISBN: 9781623220556

  This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person or use proper retail channels to lend a copy. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return it and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author. To obtain permission to excerpt portions of the text, please contact the publisher at [email protected].

  All characters in this book are fiction and figments of the authors’ imagination.

  His Choice Copyright 2013 Carrie Ann Ryan

  Beasts of Burden Copyright 2013 Marie Harte

  Alpha Rising Copyright 2013 Rebecca Royce

  A Rebel’s Heart Copyright 2013 Lia Davis

  Destined for Eden Copyright 2013 Leia Shaw

  From five bestselling authors comes five brand new novellas sure to heat up the night.

  From Carrie Ann Ryan's Dante's Circle series, a demon from the fiery depths of hell must make his choice to follow in the footsteps of his father or love the submissive wolf who lays claim to his heart in His Choice.

  From Marie Harte's Beasts of Burden, Eira, a fierce valkyrie, has spent fifty years trying to get a rise out of her goddess’s guardians. But when the battle-cat shifters give her what she wants, can she handle the heat—and the danger—that comes from loving them?

  From Rebecca Royce's brand new series, the Alphas of each werewolf Pack are on the brink of war. Travis Michaels will use all in his power to keep innocent Lilliana out of danger and into his arms…away from rival Alpha Cyrus Fennell.

  From Lia Davis’s Ashwood Falls series, buried pain, old lies, and dangerous secrets aren’t enough to keep the sparks from flying as Sarah Mathews and rebel leader, Damian Archer, try to survive a new threat against their race.

  From Leia Shaw’s Shadows of Destiny series, a war is brewing in the supernatural world. Rebel shifter Dalton’s only passion is protecting the colony, and flirtatious misfit, Eden, is a distraction he can’t afford. But as danger approaches, he learns that underestimating the sexy little wolf is a big mistake.

  Table of Contents

  His Choice

  Beasts of Burden

  Alpha Rising

  A Rebel’s Heart

  Destined for Eden

  A Thank you from your Authors

  Excerpt: Shattered Emotions

  Excerpt: Surrendering to the Alpha

  His Choice

  A Dante’s Circle Novella

  By Carrie Ann Ryan

  Dante’s Circle Characters

  With an ever growing list of characters in each book, I know that it might seem like there are too many to remember. Well don’t worry; here is a list for you so you don’t forget. Not all are seen in this exact book, but here are the ones you’ve met so far. As the series progresses, the list will as well.

  Happy reading!

  Agda—Brownie council leader.

  Agnes—Sole female on the Angelic council.

  Amara Young—One of the seven lightning struck women. Works at an inn. Has a past that is very secretive.

  Ambrose Griffin—Warrior angel, Shade’s mentor. Father to Laura (deceased) and Nathan (deceased), husband to Ilianya (deceased). Mate to Balin and Jamie, story told in Her Warriors’ Three Wishes.

  Azel—Black-winged angel. Striker’s third in command.

  Balin Drake—Non-soul devouring demon, son of Pyro. Mate to Jamie and Ambrose, story told in Her Warriors’ Three Wishes.

  Becca Quinn—One of the seven lightning struck women. Works as a bartender at Dante’s Circle. Mate to Hunter Brooks, story told in An Unlucky Moon.

  Bryce—Lily’s ex-fiancee.

  Caine—Angelic council leader.

  Cora—Shade’s ex-fiancé (deceased).

  Dante Bell—Dragon shifter. Owner of Dante’s Circle.

  Eli—Bakery Owner.

  Eliana Sawyer—One of the seven lightning struck women. Works as a welder.

  Faith Sanders—One of the seven lightning struck women. Works as a photographer.

  Fawkes—Demon, son of Lucifer, friend of Balin. Story told in His Choice (Found in the Anthology Ever After).

  Fury—Leader of the demon council.

  Glenn—Lily’s sleazy ex-boss.

  Hunter Brooks—Wolf and Beta of the Nocturne Pack. Met Ambrose, Jamie, and Balin in hell during the demon games. Mate to Becca, story told in An Unlucky Moon.

  Ilianya—(deceased) Sister to Shade, wife to Ambrose.

  Jamie Bennett—One of the seven lightning struck women. Bookstore owner and lover of romance. Mate to Ambrose and Balin, story told in Her Warriors’ Three Wishes.

  Kobal—Old djinn council member, ally to Pyro.

  Law—Gray-winged angel, Striker’s second in command.

  Lily Banner—One of the seven lightning struck women. Worked as a lab chemist in solid-state NMR. OCD and quirky. Mate to Shade, story told in Dust of My Wings.

  Lucifer—Infamous demon from hell and Fawkes’ father.

  Laura—(deceased) Daughter of Ambrose.

  Nadie Morgan—One of the seven lightning struck woman. Works as a school teacher.

  Nathan—(deceased) Son of Amborse.

  Pyro—Demon from hell, father to Balin.

  Shade Griffin—Warrior angel, ex-fiance to Cora, brother to Illianya, mate to Lily Banner, story told in Dust of My Wings.

  Striker—Angelic council member, leader of the rebels.

  Temperance—New Djinn council leader.

  Thad—Co-worker of Lily’s. Had a crush on him.

  Timmy—10 year old brownie.

  Chapter One

  “You’re a disgrace to the name Devil, son,” Lucifer spat as he paced the long dungeon. “You had such promise and then you’ve thrown it all away. Or at least, you’re planning on it. Don’t lie to me. I know all.”

  Fawkes looked up through the blood running down his face, stinging his eyes, and lifted a lip in a sneer.

  He was twenty years old—young to most but a grown man to others—and yet the way his father treated him it was as if he was the adolescent who needed a good scolding.

  Not that his father had ever acted the caring paternal figure.

  “You’re the actual Devil, Dad,” Fawkes said, his voice slightly hoarse from screaming. Sometimes the screaming helped the pain, even if it did annoy him Lucifer enjoyed it so much. “I’m just one of your many sons.”

  Lucifer rolled his eyes—a gesture that made him look as immature as he acted—then ran a hand over his red horns that stood a foot out from his head—the exact matching pair to Fawkes’.

  “You’re my last son, Fawkes. The others are either fierce warriors’ and soul eaters or dead. None of them however, ever chose the path you’re looking at. No son of mine will. They all died in battle or because they were idiots. I won’t let you sully my good name. It’s time for you to make your choice and eat the souls of humans.”

  Though Fawkes was chained to a wall in his father’s favorite torture room, he didn’t feel threatened by the man humans feared more that the things that went bump in the night. Actually, his father was the thing that went bump in the night. Lucifer just wanted Fawkes to fall into his de
adly footsteps, taking souls and becoming dark.

  Fawkes wasn’t sure he wanted to do that though.

  He’d seen what the other possibility could be and, frankly, that looked better.

  Harsher.

  Deadlier.

  Once a demon reached twenty, he had a year to reach a decision before his life started to fade. Demons needed souls or a mating bond in order to survive. Without souls, they would die slowly and painfully. Once they reached their three hundredth birthday, they’d fade from existence—excruciatingly. They only had that first year though to take their first soul, or they’d harm themselves to the point that they’d need a true half—the one person, or persons in a triad’s case, that was meant for them and would create the perfect mating bond—in order to survive.

  Since demons didn’t find their true halves with other demons—a punishment for their killing existence—they had to venture out into the human and other realms in order to find the person—or persons—who would not only be part of them, but save their lives. Demons could mate with each other and create more demon offspring, like his father had done with the many women who’d given birth to Lucifer’s progeny, but they would never find that perfect…peace within that mating.

  Another demon, Balin, had been one of the few to actually choose against becoming evil. The other demon had almost died because he’d refused to do what almost all other demons had done in order to survive. It was only because Balin had found Jamie and Ambrose that he’d survived at all.

  Now Fawkes was old enough to make his choice.

  Lucifer narrowed his eyes. “Are you even listening?”

  Fawkes blinked. “Uh…yeah?”

  Lucifer spat then let the fire running through his veins rage from his palms. He spent his energy toward the wall, scorching a line of black soot in an arch before fisting his hands, letting the fire burn itself out.

  Fawkes had to learn that handy trick.

  “You have less than six months until you have to choose. If you don’t take your first soul, you’ll waste away until you find your true half. It doesn’t matter if you take souls after that because you’ll still fade away. That’s what Balin didn’t understand before and that’s why you will take a soul. Now.”

  “It’s my choice Dad. Mine.”

  “I’ll do what Pyro to Balin and keep you here until you have to make the correct choice,” Lucifer threatened.

  “Pyro was a sadistic bastard.”

  Lucifer gave him a bland look. “I’m the Devil, son. No one is worse than me. It would do you good to remember that.”

  Fawkes held bad a groan. His father had to be the most conceited demon out there. No demon was allowed to be stronger or fiercer than him.

  “Yes, you’re more of a sadistic bastard than Pyro ever was,” he deadpanned.

  Lucifer blinked slowly then pressed a button on the wall. The chains attached to the manacles on Fawkes’ wrists pulled up and turned, forcing his gaze to the opposite wall and leaving his back to his father’s ministrations.

  This couldn’t end well.

  The first crack of the whip was a familiar sting. He’d been beaten all his life, but not to the point others in his father’s care had been. He was still whole, still himself.

  He knew others out there hadn’t fared as well.

  Lucifer snapped the whip again, the pain arching across Fawkes’ back a heated flame. He gritted his teeth and let his father finish his ministrations before finally Lucifer gave up.

  “I’d lock you up but the last thing I need is the other demons thinking I can’t take care of one of my own,” Lucifer spat. “You’ll have to make the choice yourself, but if you make the wrong one…”

  Fawkes didn’t answer his father’s unspoken words. No matter what, the Devil wanted his due and Fawkes would have to take the blame. He just didn’t know if he could last as long as Balin had.

  He thought of the angel and demon pair that had promised him sanctuary in the human realm. If he went to them now, he might be condemning himself to death, but that might be better than what he’d do once he took a soul.

  One didn’t come back from that whole.

  His father left without another word, slamming his hand into the button on his way out the door. The manacles around Fawkes’ wrists opened and he slammed into the floor. He ran his tongue over his molars to make sure he didn’t crack one with that jolt then stood on shaky legs. He’d been hanging for a few days and his body had weakened just enough that he knew he needed to either leave the hell realm soon or do something he might regret.

  He looked down at his leather pants and boots and shrugged. They would have to do in the human realm because he wasn’t about head back to his room and try to get his belongings. He had a feeling if he happened to cross Lucifer’s path again, his father might not be so easy-going and trap him in a dungeon.

  Again.

  With conscious thought, he forced his human glamour over his body, his horns disappearing from this head. He’d have to make an effort to hide the red flecks in his black eyes, but maybe Balin would be able to help him with that. Fawkes had only ever been to the human realm a few times and that was only on training missions so he could learn how to blend in if necessary.

  Despite what other conclaves of demons might want to do, he knew one of the most important things he could learn was to keep the supernatural secret. Humans were far more dangerous when they knew the truth about what lay hidden within other realms.

  Using some of the last energy he had since he was so freaking hungry, he opened a portal to the human realm. Thankfully, he knew where Ambrose, Jamie, and Balin lived so he could make sure the portal ended in their backyard, rather than in someone else’s home. He let his scent signature seep throw the patrol so the triad would know who was coming and stepped through. The last thing he needed was to end up on the wrong end of Balin’s sword because he hadn’t announced himself. Plus, Fawkes was unarmed thanks to his dad—not something he truly wanted to be.

  He stepped through, the burning fire surrounding him licking at him like hungry flames. It didn’t hurt any worse that what his father had done to him recently, so he didn’t care.

  As the last of the flames died away he blinked open his eyes and smiled.

  “It’s about time you showed up,” Ambrose said. He stood in the backyard of his home, his arms folded over his chest and a frown on his face, though there was no hiding the mix of laughter and concern in his eyes.

  “I was tied up,” Fawkes explained. From the look on Ambrose’s face, he had a feeling the warrior angel knew exactly what he meant by that.

  “Are you here for good?”

  Fawkes shrugged. “I’m not sure yet.”

  “Ambrose, stop interrogating the boy and let him come inside,” Jamie said from the back door.

  Fawkes smiled and pushed past Ambrose to sweep Jamie in his arms. She laughed and wrapped her arms around his neck as he inhaled her scent. He’d helped save her once before and now her and her family were going to try to save him.

  Something along her scent triggered the protectiveness within him and he froze.

  “You’re pregnant.”

  Jamie smiled full out and nodded. “Yes, Becca is as well.”

  Fawkes remembered hearing about Jamie and her six girlfriends who had all been struck by lightning. They were all now—or would be soon—supernaturals in their own right, rather than humans.

  “Balin and Ambrose are actually letting you walk around now? I’d have thought they’d wrap you in bubble wrap and force you to sit the entire time.”

  “Don’t think it hasn’t crossed my mind,” Balin said as he walked up behind Jamie. “Now get your paws off my mate.”

  Fawkes grinned then leaned to kiss Jamie on the cheek. She laughed while Balin and Ambrose each growled in turn.

  Hell, he’d needed this—the teasing and laughter. He wanted the smiles and happiness that he saw on the other demon’s face. It could happen for Fawkes, he knew that, but it
would be a long journey.

  Balin frowned. “You’ve made your choice, haven’t you?”

  Fawkes shook his head. “No, not yet. I have time, but I wanted, no needed to see what else was out there.”

  Jamie took his hand and led him into the triad’s home. “Go take a shower and get into some of Balin’s clothes since you can’t walk around in just leather pants in broad daylight while in the human realm.”

  “I don’t know babe, humans are just as weird as everyone else,” Balin teased.

  Jamie rolled her eyes and put her hand protectively on her stomach. “Shut it. Go show Fawkes what he can wear and the guest bedroom that he can stay in.”

  Fawkes opened his mouth to say something but Jamie held up her hand.

  “You’re staying with us, at least for the night. If you want to go somewhere else to roam or learn about what this choice means later, sure. Right now though, you’re staying here and eating dinner with us. Hunter and Becca will be here soon to eat and I’m sure they’ll want to see you.”

  Fawkes nodded, remembering the animalistic wolf, Hunter. He’d also helped save him as well and had heard that the wolf had mated Becca, Jamie’s friend.

  Balin squeezed his shoulder, forcing Fawkes’ gaze to his. “Everything will be okay. You know that right?”

  Fawkes nodded but knew he was lying. It wasn’t a choice that came easily to a demon. Sure, if he were human, not taking souls and slowing dying without knowing if he’d ever find his true half wouldn’t seem like as tough a choice.

  He wasn’t human though.

  He was the son of the Devil himself and had to make his choices on his own.

  He could do it if he had to, but he didn’t know if he wanted to.

  What kind of person did that make him?

  Oh yeah, a demon.

  He nodded toward the others then followed Balin to the guest room where he’d be staying for the time being. After he took a shower and put on Balin’s extra jeans and button down, he looked in the mirror and smiled.