Hunted- A Story from the Realm

By Jessica White

A woman haunted by her demons, the beast that traveled across the universe to find her, and the world waiting for them to return...

The moment I stepped off the plane in this remote Alaskan town, I walked straight into a nightmare when I'm kidnapped.

Blindfolded and dumped in the forest, I have twenty minutes to run as far as possible before the men are released for their annual mating hunt.

But will the handsome sheriff rescue me in time? Or is he the monster I need to be rescued from?

Hunted is a story from the series Stories from the Realm, a dark paranormal fantasy collection.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Jessica White
• Release date: Jan 26, 2023
• ISBN: 9798215961650

Jessica White

Author Jessica White - Unveiling Dark Fantasies and Steamy Romance in Small Towns? Welcome to the enchanting world of Jessica White, where the world comes alive with dark immortals, small-town secrets, and sizzling romance. As a passionate storyteller, Jessica weaves tales that transport you to realms unknown, blending dark fantasy, steamy romance, and heart-pounding suspense.? Series Highlights:•The Broken Immortals: Journey into a realm where immortality comes with a price, and forbidden desires ignite a war between light and darkness.•Stories from the Realm: Explore mystical landscapes and unearth the secrets that bind magical beings in this captivating series.•Love Stories from a Small Town: Immerse yourself in the charm of small-town romance, where love blossoms amidst close-knit communities.?‍? About the Author: Jessica, a former Registered Nurse turned masterful storyteller, hails from the breathtaking landscapes of West Virginia. Her graduate degree in Business Administration adds a strategic touch to her narrative prowess. Beyond crafting tales, Jessica is captivated by metaphysical wonders, the beauty of nature, irresistible buttercream icing, and the magic of Harry Potter (still waiting for that letter!).? Stay Updated: Curious about Jessica's upcoming releases? Explore Jessica's world beyond the pages. Follow her journey on https://linktr.ee/authorjwhite and sign up for exclusive email alerts. Be the first to dive into new worlds and discover fresh tales of love, mystery, and fantasy.? Connect with Jessica: Have questions or just want to share your thoughts? Reach out to Jessica at [e-mail].

Book preview

Hunted

A Story from the Realm

Jessica White

Copyright © 2021 by Jessica White

All rights reserved.

No portion of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher or author, except as permitted by U.S. copyright law.

Special thanks to Germancreative and Decelis for all your help with this series.

Contents

Content Warning

1.The List

2.Pretty Nurse

3.I Find You

4.Good Omen

5.A Game of Cards

6.Sins

7.Am I Man

8.Mine

9.Smoke

10.Already Forgotten

11.Dreams

12.The Creek

13.Yogi Bear

14.Good Fortune

15.Down the Drain

16.Handcuffs

17.The Last Person I Run To

18.Nice Evening for a Stroll

19.The Rules

20.The Chase

21.The Countdown

22.Caught

23.The Bonfire

24.All I Ever Wanted

25.My House

26.The Shack

27.Helpless

28.We All Wait

29.The Shower

30.The Fairy Tale

31.The White Stallion

32.Beside Me

33.The Last Something

34.The Altar

35.The Other Side of the Door

36.The Queen Returns

37.One More Kill in Me

38.A Taste of Freedom

39.Up the Creek

40.No Golden Crown

41.A Lesson

42.The Travelers

43.Your Hateful Mouth

44.Black Eyes

45.Stay Dead

46.Home Again

47.By the Fire

48.The Squared Circle

Content Warning

Stories from the Realm is a very, very dark collection. Do not read if you aren’t prepared to be utterly destroyed by the events that will happen to the main characters.

This series is a work of fiction based on the lives of magical individuals that are in no way human and should not be judged by human norms. They are an entirely different species, animals, from another world with their own communities, morals, values, and traditions.

If you have any sensitivities about cursing, partner violence, stalking, gender roles, sexual assault, or any other type of trigger, you should probably turn back now. This story is not for you.

But if you can handle all that-enjoy! I’m thrilled you are on this adventure with me.

The List

Voli

The clicks of his stupid cowboy boots got louder until a stack of papers dropped in front of me, but this time I could sense something was different in what lay inside the pages of the dossier. Maybe you’ll strike gold this time, Voli.

Both heels came to my desktop as Tucker leaned back in the chair across from me and pushed his ball cap up over his head just enough for his red hair to poke out the bottom. Is she in there?

For decades now, I stared at the lists of names and photographs, and I’d nearly given up hope of ever finding her. But when the static moved up through my fingers as they hovered above the stack like the night I claimed her, the first smile to cross my face in ages came to me. Yes.

Being reborn exactly the way one left the world was a curious thing for our kind. Still, when I came to the last page and the final contestant, she hadn’t changed at all. Still perfect with her fiery brown hair and the softest green eyes that ever honored me with their gaze.

In the corner of my vision, I caught movement, and I glanced up at my brother as he came through the door. She’s here. The pinnacle of man, I’m supposed to be. Yet, here I was with tears dripping from my bushy blonde beard like a child. She came back to me.

Both of them leaned over the side of my desk, and Joseph spun the papers around under my fingertips. The edge of the printout curled up from the air that rushed through his nose when he smiled at her and pushed his pale blond hair from his forehead. Dear gods. The whiskers on his chin crossed over his shoulder as he yelled out the door. Amber. Come now.

The door shut behind her, and when she came face to face with the roster in Joseph’s hand, she froze in place. At the other desk in my office was the rarely used computer for background checks, and she rolled the wheeled chair over. What’s her name now?

While her red ponytail swung back and forth across her shoulders, she tapped the keyboard to wake it as Joseph yanked the paper from my grasp. Rowena Shipton. Beans Cove, Pennsylvania.

None of those women deserved to breathe the same air as my beloved, and I tore her away from the list. Every corner folded under until all that remained was my queen, and I kissed her face finally after all these years. Soon, my love.

Oh, no. Pale fingers bent back at us as Amber waved us over. Look at this. The tip of her finger underlined each sentence. Stalked by a former patient. Order of protection. Kidnapped. Stabbed.

Perhaps the only person who might long to be in her presence as much as I do, Amber’s voice faltered as she sniffed and swatted at her face. Both parents were killed in a murder-suicide. Brother... Every fact was more horrible than the last, and her palms came up to the screen when she pushed the seat back from the desk with her boot. She has no one.

The picture of her tucked into my chest pocket, and I grabbed the keys from my drawer. I can’t wait until Autumn. I’m going to fly out tonight.

With the toe of his shoe, Tucker rocked in his chair and crossed his hands over his belly. Afraid that’s not going to be possible.

My chair jerked around toward the wall as I ripped my jacket free from the back of my seat. Try to stop me.

The brim of his hat snapped back and forth while he pointed at the phone. You can call her employer if you want to hear it for yourself. She’s on assignment somewhere, and they won’t give out any other information. He pulled the rest of the list from my desk and wound it around itself into a neat roll. They said they’d pass the offer along and that she usually says yes, so we’re just waiting for confirmation that she’s accepted.

The tips of my fingers shook so much they beat against my skin as I pushed them through my hair. I can’t let her come here. My hand wiped my mouth, but it was a desert and I couldn’t even swallow anymore. I can’t make her run again. She’ll never forgive me.

To stop me at the door, Joseph’s hand landed on my center. There are rules. Both his palms came up between us. We can’t break the traditions of this territory. The council won’t stand for it. Here, we are no one. His eyes flicked to the man in the camouflage t-shirt cracking sunflowers seeds between his teeth. But we’ll make sure that the Sheriff gets to meet her first, right?

As he shrugged, Tucker tossed up all his fingers. Sure. You know how we do things. As long as you can keep your hands to yourself, won’t be no problems.

Both hands surrounded my face, and Joseph brought his forehead to mine and blinked at the photo poking out from my pocket. All this is almost over.

The sting overcame my eyes, and I pinched them shut as he pulled me into his shoulder. Two hundred years, Voli. Another two months is nothing at all.

Close to my heart as she always ways, I peeked down my chest to find her smiling face staring back at me. But I knew deep in my soul where I kept her safe with me all this time, the waiting would be the easy part.

Because I had a lot of wrongs to answer for as it came to my mate.

Pretty Nurse

Rowena

Iwish I hadn’t taken that Valium before I got on the plane this morning.

The soft yellow glow from the ceiling hummed in my ears, and the way the gentle pulse vibrated my eyes made everything seem a few shades darker. Clicks from the seams of the metal baggage carousel locking in place repeatedly reminded me of a ticking clock counting down like a hypnotist trying to put me under.

Though I only meant to shut my eyes for a second of rest, the entire world switched off, and I was lost in smoky blackness.

In that empty cold space in my head, a flash of light pelted the canvas like streaks of lightning. A surge of electricity went through every nerve of my body in an instant to snap me back into consciousness.

His demands for attention sucked me from the stillness of sleep, and I dreamed I fell from the highest tree in the forest until I found him in the corner of my vision when my lashes parted.

Just like his bedroom eyelids that glared down at me, his presence in this world was heavy. Even if I didn’t want to find him, his gravity pulled me toward him anyway until our eyes met. At once, I floated in pale blue waters as his icy eyes narrowed at me. While he awaited some kind of response, his face jutted closer until his nose touched mine.

Disappointment stared back at me in the way his stony expression softened, and he blinked away to my brown leather suitcase. Is yours?

An accent I gathered as Russian was still thick, but even if I had understood the words that came from his mouth, I couldn’t have answered. His beauty petrified me.

The longer blonde hair on top of his head was pushed back, and the sides cut close like some Viking warrior on television. Soft curly whiskers lined his square jaw, and an ache started in my fingers to wrap themselves in his beard.

Though the jacket he wore covered him, his massive chest muscles stretched the dark blue t-shirt to push me away with each breath he took. The scent of vanilla and musk bathed my face when he leaned into me, and my toes curled against my shoes to keep me from floating away. "I asked you question, ‘Ravena’."

The way he butchered my name made my stupor crack finally as I managed to make the side of my face twist into a smile. Yes, sir. Sure is.

As he dipped down before me, his eyes never left mine. Though I thought he might actually kiss me, I couldn’t budge an inch to move away. Like a magnet, I was bound to him.

My suitcase jerked from the conveyor, and his nose wrinkled just a little from the effort. And as he rose to hover over me, his head tipped away. Follow me.

The word Sheriff embroidered across his back in gold letters seemed to blink at my stoned ass like a neon sign to pull me together. Actually, I meant to check out his sidearm in his tan leather holster. But the way his perfectly sculpted body moved in his snug blue jeans made a chill wrap around me like snowy hands massaged my breasts.

A hand slid through his hair, and a heavy sigh left his chest as his arms rolled backward. Hooded eyes shot back over his shoulder at me, and the fabric that covered him shivered as I caught his breath hitch. Was long flight, yes?

The smooth bass to his voice gripped my joints and vibrated my spine so hard I barely had the coordination to put one foot in front of the other.

A fire consumed my face, and I must have been the most bright shade of red while I fanned at my skin and forced my eyes to go anywhere but directly to him as they wanted. Yes, very long.

With his back, he propped the glass door open, but as I stepped through, his hand rested on my shoulder to keep me from going any further. I’m not sure if he sensed how I shimmied under his palm, but I couldn’t control myself. And when his sweet breath crossed my face, I closed my eyes and hoped he would never stop. I take you for food now.

Every time he touched me, he sucked every ounce of strength from my body like a vampire, and I had no will left to lift my hand and wave him off. No, I’m not really hungry. But if you can point me at a cup of coffee, that would be super.

An old black Ford bronco like the one my father drove sat in the first space of the gravel lot, and he was quick to open my door for me. Thank you.

While he fumbled to relieve himself of his jacket outside his door, I had a peek in the side mirror and cursed myself for not having the decency to put on a little makeup.

When his arm swept between us to toss his coat in the back seat, the warm spicy scent of him made me dizzy, and I swatted at my face to ease the heatwave that roared through me. For some reason, I thought Alaska would be colder.

The old engine still purred like new when he turned the ignition over, and his thick arm reached around the headrest of my seat as he backed out. Is September. Only cold at night for now.

But when he brought his hand back, his fingers slid through my ponytail and rubbed across the skin of my neck, and my whole body flinched. Right.

Tiny beads of sweat started on my forehead, and I rolled my shoulders out of my sweater. I’m sorry, I didn’t catch your name.

Brown sunglasses moved back on his ears, and his lips curled like a rock star as he wiggled them in place. Volodar Medvedev.

The band from my hair yanked free, and he shifted in his seat and lifted his nose to the air to take a deep breath. You can call me Voli.

While his hands passed over each other as he made the turn for the truck stop, I combed through my strands with my fingers. I will, thank you.

As he pulled the brake, the whole vehicle jerked, and his pale blonde eyebrow rose over the rim of his lens. Do you have nickname?

The side of my mouth curled as I shook my head no at him. Nothing as cool sounding as Voli.

Through the tint of his glasses, his eyes bounced all over my face. Then I call you Moya.

Like some memory I couldn’t place, when I whispered the name to myself, I nodded. Yes, I think I like that. What does that mean?

He shoved his door open, and I think I may have seen a glimmer of a smile on his always emotionless face as his shoulder jerked at me. Means pretty nurse.

I Find You

Rowena

Amassive hand lined in soft pale hairs and glistened in the sunlight swallowed my forearm when I reached for my door handle. Wait for me. Let me pump gas first.

From his side mirror, I caught him rubbing his forehead and shaking his chin at the sky as he leaned against the rear wheel well of the truck. And as I always did where he was concerned, I figured whatever stress he was having was about me, and my whole center turned cold.

Though when my door opened, he held out his palm, and his boyish side grin welcomed me. Come, Moya One hand rested on my back as he escorted me through the gravel lot. Local woman disappeared from here recently and found in river about ten miles away. The tip of his finger traced all the trucks along the row. Is truck driver, we think.

When he pulled the handle, the shop door jingled, and his hand gripped my wrist tight as he led me through the crowd of men who waited for their orders from the fry cook.

The blissful space between nothing at all and the most mind-bending orgasm ever recorded is where I was whenever he touched me. So breathless and warm and limp and unaware of the world outside my body, I barely had the strength