Ghost Stalker
Authors: Jenna Kernan
“What did you do?” he growled.
Her jaw dropped as words failed her. Sweet Maka, help her. What
had
she done? In his dream, he was so handsome, so giving. The temptation and promise of anonymity were too much to resist, and she had lowered her guard.
“Oh, Great Spirit,” she whispered.
“You invaded my dream.”
“I never thought that… I mean, I didn’t intend…” How could she finish? “Nicholas, please.” She needed to recall who he was, no,
what
he was. But her body still trembled from his lovemaking.
“You really had me fooled, all aloof on the exterior, but oh, how you burn underneath….”
Books by Jenna Kernan
Nocturne
*
Dream Stalker
#78
*
Ghost Stalker
#111
JENNA KERNAN
writes fast-paced romantic adventures set in out-of-the-way places and populated with larger-than-life characters.
Happily married to her college sweetheart, Jenna shares a love of the outdoors with her husband. The couple enjoys treasure hunting all over the country, searching for natural gold nuggets and precious and semiprecious stones.
Jenna has been nominated for two RITA® Awards for her Western historicals and is a popular speaker at writing conferences. Visit Jenna at her internet home, www.jennakernan.com.
Dear Reader,
This is my second paranormal romance in The Trackers series, featuring Native American shapeshifters called Skinwalkers. Their world is full of dark and dangerous creatures with ancient powers and is loosely based on Lakota myth.
I hope you fall in love with Jessie and Nick. Their love will be tested and their lives endangered as they struggle to protect the Seer of Souls from her enemies and fight the Ruler of Ghosts for control of the living world.
For more about Nick and Jessie and for a sneak peek at my third in The Trackers series, please visit me at my web home, www.jennakernan.com.
Jenna Kernan
N
agi, ruler of Ghosts, spun in a circle of shimmering silver light, creating one bright spot in his tedious world of ceaselessly spiraling specters. Not all his subjects surrounded him as they should. Many still walked the earth, uncollected, awaiting his summons. His secret army.
Soon they would fight the Halfling defenders for supremacy. As immortals, his ghosts had the advantage. The important thing was to maintain the element of surprise.
To do that, he needed to kill that Seer. He could wait no longer. The threat was about to triple, for the Seer carried twins. She and her offspring were the only beings on the planet who could see his ghosts. He wanted no witness to their rising. His last attempt on her had failed. He’d underestimated her. She’d been clever enough to
enlist the help of a troublesome Skinwalker, now her mate, and they’d undermined his ability to track her.
However, he had devised another way. Her mate had healing powers and he was never far from the Seer. But Nagi’s invisible army were already scouring the earth for the wolf or the raven. Either could lead him to the Healer. Nagi would go himself, but there were more important matters only he could solve.
Nagi glowed brighter at the thought, causing a pitiful moan from the ghosts as they shrank back in torment.
Soon,
he thought,
soon I will strike!
N
icholas Chien searched the popular nightclub for the one who hunted him. A hunter himself, he knew the feeling of being stalked. Unlike the humans surrounding him, he paid close attention to his instincts. After all, they had kept him alive for over a century.
His eyes locked onto a woman who watched with the intensity of a falcon. His gaze flicked to her right and then left, recognizing the pack of three females—all with their attention pinned on him.
Humans. Each one lovely, young and in heat. He could not help but smile, for he had only to pick one, unless they were open to sharing. Maka bless modern women.
He left his half-finished glass of Johnny Walker Blue on the bar and stalked toward his huntresses, closing the distance between himself and paradise. Music throbbed
like a communal heartbeat and strobe lights flashed in weak imitation of the Thunderbirds’ lightning.
All three straightened at his approach, standing in a cluster around a tall circular table that held their poser drinks, three martinis. It was hard to suppress his grin of anticipation.
The tallest and strongest had dark eyes and mocha skin. She had used black liner to accentuate her sloping eyes. The gold chain about her neck held a single black crystal bead that sparkled from its place in the cleft of her ample cleavage. This one wore a very short skirt, revealing long, strong legs that he anticipated wrapped about his back.
Beside her, stood a petite blonde who had teased her hair to add height. Her low-cut pink blouse showed her form to be sleek and athletic. She glanced from him to the tallest, as if seeking permission to advance. She licked her lips, perhaps admiring what she might not taste, as she struggled with her position as second to the tallest. She shifted her weight back and forth. Were she a wolf, he would anticipate a leadership challenge, but humans settled such battles more subtly. Perhaps
he
would be the one worth fighting for.
Flanking the alpha’s opposite side was another brunette. Their eyes met. She was used to being overlooked, although she had the most interesting figure, with full, heavy breasts, a narrow waist and wide, curving hips. She glanced from him to the other women, already deferring her authority. As the group’s beta, she would do as the others bid. That might work to his advantage.
He reached them now, smiling as he nodded his hello, keeping his eyes on the alpha female.
“Did you want to speak to me?”
Her sensual smile rewarded his direct approach.
“We have a bet on you.”
“Interesting.”
“You’re what’s interesting,” said the blonde, her hand already on his shoulder, claiming him.
The alpha flashed her a look and the hand slid away. Not ready for a challenge just yet.
“We were wondering if you prefer blondes or brunettes. I’m Allie, by the way,” said the alpha.
He pressed a hand to his chest and gave a little bow. “Nick. And I prefer both.”
The beta’s mouth rounded into an O, while the other two exchanged knowing looks that told him this was familiar territory.
“Do you?” asked Allie as she laid a hand on his shoulder, circling him. Her fingers dragged across his back and down his arm as she measured his strength. Nick watched the blonde, who did not take her eyes off her rival. Neither of the other women moved until Allie had linked her arm in his, claiming him. Only then did the emerging alpha move.
“I’m Krista,” said the blonde, flanking him on the right and stroking his biceps.
The beta stayed where she was, caressing him only with her eyes.
“Would you ladies like a drink?”
“Love one. I have a full bar at my place,” offered Allie as her long, artificial nails dug into his arm.
Nicholas flexed his muscles beneath her grip as a slow smile spread over his face. “Private party sounds good.”
He was always up for such a diversion, especially in the winter, when the nights were long and lonely.
Allie signaled the waitress. Nick slid a single hundred-dollar bill from his money clip onto the waitress’s tray.
Allie’s eyes glittered in a way that made Nick wonder if perhaps these ladies were pros. Money was not an issue, but it did run counter to his loose moral code to pay for what he could find for free.
Allie smiled and slipped a hand into the gap at the collar of his black oxford shirt and unbuttoned the top one.
Great Mystery! Human females were a spirited lot. He thought of his friend Sebastian and all the lovely women his friend had never met, because he lived like a hermit in the woods. Sebastian was disapproving of Nick’s philandering. So it irked Nick that his buddy had still somehow managed to find himself a life mate in Michaela Proud.
Nick fought the twinge of jealousy. Silly to begrudge Sebastian one woman when he had three willing partners before him. Still, Michaela was unique enough to make a confirmed bachelor envious. She had accepted his friend even after seeing him change from a man to a bear, and that did not happen every century. As if this were not gift enough, his friend described a connection, a reading of his mate’s thoughts and emotions, something Nick had never experienced.
He imagined what would happen if he showed these females what he truly was. No, his way was best. Never let a human see you transform, never overstay your welcome. The rules served him well for there was no worse trap than giving your heart to a woman.
“Ready?” asked Allie, pursing her full lips.
Nick found her artful pout did not have the desired effect, for it irritated rather than inspired him. He disliked lipstick as well as the tangy aroma of foundation and powder. Most perfumes overwhelmed his sensitive sense of smell.
Now, for instance, he noted the acrid scent of the chemicals of her deodorant activated by her sweat, the mint mouthwash, the almond fragrance clinging to her hair, remnants of shampoo or rinse, a perfumed talcum powder and even the tanned leather of her purse. There was something wintergreen in her purse, likely gum or breath mints. Human females bathed themselves in every perfume but the most potent of all was the scent of their arousal. He sensed, in Allie, the first blossom of the lust she planned to share.
