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In Shadow | Eden Winters

2

A

SHADOWY

figure leaned casually against the side of the

darkened building. Four a.m. had come and gone, and the
city would soon be changing shifts. The law-abiding citizens
of the world would be waking up soon, while those who dwelt
in darkness hunkered down for a nice, long sleep. But not
him; not yet. He had hours to go as carefully laid plans
either came to fruition or failed miserably. He only hoped
that when it was all over, the payoff would be worth what
he‟d risked.

A scrape of wood against wood, the click of an old

fashioned lock, then the steady tap, tap, tap of his quarry‟s
boot heels crossing the road, leading away from the
darkened tavern. My, someone is working far too late these
days. The shadow blended with many others, following at a
distance.

The man for whom he‟d waited entered a secluded alley,

taking the shortcut home. The shadow chose that time to
reveal himself. “Hello, Peter.” A voice long unused gave his
words the smoky texture of fine whiskey.

“Y-you!” The man‟s eyes widened in fright, darting right

and left, seeking help.

The shadow knew his prey‟s habits well, and he‟d spent

the last few hours studying the lay of the land. They were
alone. “You didn‟t expect to see me again, did you?”

In Shadow | Eden Winters

3

“Wwwhaat, what are you?” Peter froze, following his

stalker with terrified eyes.

The shadow circled, wafting a fluttery breath against

Peter‟s nape. “A wraith, a phantom, a ghost of a ghost. Does
it matter?” Lips grazing the mortal‟s ear, the undead
whispered, “Aren‟t you glad to see me?”

Peter‟s tangled emotions poured out in great, pulsing

waves, the bittersweet taste lingering on the phantom‟s
tongue. He traced Peter‟s ear with his tongue, reveling in the
extra senses of his kind. To taste fear, to smell darkness, to
see music in the nighttime sky? How had he ever referred to
his former “life” as living? “I‟d far prefer your lust to your
fear,” he said, lowering his voice to a suggestive purr.

Applying his lips to Peter‟s skin, he lost himself in the

familiar essence, sensing the hope/despair/joy/sorrow on
the one he‟d gambled for. He raised a finger, stroking it
lightly over a firm brow, down one chiseled cheekbone,
zigzagging across nose and chin, then back up the other
cheek. The man at his mercy shivered as though in peril,
unaware of the rune of protection that now blazed like fire to
non-mortal eyes. Protection bought at great price, a price
that might cost the shadow dearly, yet that he‟d pay
willingly, and never think it too great.

Although not part of the ritual, he followed the glowing

spell with his lips, relearning his former lover‟s face. He
closed his eyes, employing senses that the living couldn‟t
comprehend, touching, tasting, seeing, hearing, being at one
with another, sliding into Peter‟s mind for the briefest of
moments, then dancing away again, presence undetected.

In Shadow | Eden Winters

4

Grasping Peter‟s cheeks between his palms, he forced

their mouths together, hoping the rasping of his scaled
hands

didn‟t

abrade

that

beautiful

face.

Peter

mmmmppppph‟d, struggling against the onslaught of a
tongue stealing into his mouth.

Without pulling away, the shadow murmured, “Hush,

don‟t fight me. Remember me as I was before.” A few more
struggles, then the body against his became pliant, the
tension draining away. He’s remembering. Good. He’ll need
to.

“Martin.” That name, breathed on a sigh, sent

unexpected shivers up the shadow‟s spine.

“I am Martin no more.” Peter stiffened slightly in his

arms. “I‟m afraid you‟d find my new name unpronounceable.
Tonight, call me what you will.”

He left a trail of phosphorescent kisses down Peter‟s

neck, dipping into the V at the base with his forked tongue,
tasting this man‟s loneliness and the heady cocktail of
apprehension and elation. Pictures formed in his mind, as
they always did, of his prey‟s innermost thoughts and intent.

Sorrow filled him at what Peter had endured since

Martin-no-more had left their home one evening for the
market, never to return. The precious bundle of bittersweet
memory whimpered. “Hush, love. In human form or this, I‟d
die before I‟d harm you.”

One by one Peter‟s flimsy garments fell to the

cobblestones, gooseflesh rising on pale skin that the shadow
kissed and caressed away, marking the man “forbidden.” He

In Shadow | Eden Winters

5

wished Peter could view his handiwork, perceive the
stunning, intricate patterns of the runes. From this night
forward, no shadow-dweller would dare approach, and any
human planning ill intent would flee without knowing why.

Down work-muscled arms, across a well-made chest,

down a flat belly, tongue teasing a light dusting of hair, down
perfectly formed thighs, around the back to broad shoulders,
tapered waist, and the buttocks Martin had once praised in a
silly sonnet. No inch of Peter escaped the fluttering brush of
lips and soft words incanted in a language long ago lost to
the world of men.

Once satisfied he‟d performed the ritual properly, the

shadow began exploring. Peter‟s ball sac pulled tight to his
body in the chill of the early morn. The shadow flicked it
with his tongue, eliciting sweet moans.

He sucked the head of a full and leaking cock into his

mouth. How I’ve missed this! Three years‟ worth of
otherworldliness drifted away with the tendrils of fog that
ventured, curious, into the alley, banished by the shadow‟s
low growl. Mine! Peter‟s human eyes missed the trio of lesser
imps hiding within the mist.

The well-remembered taste of Peter‟s fluid hit the

specter‟s tongue, so much sweeter/saltier/satisfying with his
new senses, sorrow tugging at his heart to realize that
Peter‟d saved it for him. No other‟s scent marked the well-
remembered body or mind. He‟d kept himself in mourning all
those years.

A fiery tear sizzled down the shadow‟s cheek. In the

distance a bell tolled five, reminding him how little time

In Shadow | Eden Winters

6

remained. Still, he‟d waited so long—this moment deserved
savoring, for the opportunity might never come again.

Sliding Peter‟s long-neglected member reluctantly from

his mouth, the shadow dipped lower, extending his tongue to
slither it back, back, back, teasing the sensitive muscles of
his once-lover‟s opening. No, not once lover—always lover.
The angle proving too awkward, he guided Peter to turn,
pressing him against cool brick to resume the task at hand.

So gradually that he barely noticed when it began, the

muscles relaxed, Peter arching his back, wanting more,
pitiful whines begging, begging. The shadow rose, disrobing
with a thought, his attire merely an illusion.

He buried himself inside Peter‟s body, his organ

amazingly unchanged from his former human form, and
commenced the time-honored rhythm of the mating dance,
humming a broken, disjointed tune. Sex magic blossomed
around them, his thrusts timed perfectly with his wordless
incantation.

Peter, so lost in the moment, either didn‟t notice or

didn‟t care. The shadow pumped with a sharp staccato beat,
the final notes of the spell trilled aloud, hidden in the wail of
completion. He wrapped his hand around Peter‟s shaft,
working it in time with his faltering tempo. Sweet seduction
filled his nostrils, the tangy scent of sex multiplied by Peter‟s
spurt against the brick wall that left a message for those who
could sense it. “Here I was claimed.”

The shadow held firm in the shudders of the aftermath,

chest plastered to Peter‟s heaving back, recalling the
numerous times he‟d done so before. The rising sun

In Shadow | Eden Winters

7

approached, tingeing the horizon with pink, banishing the
nocturnal ones to days spent cowering in whatever dark
sanctuary they could find.

The sands of time were running out; the question must

be asked. “Will you come with me?”

The sated body stiffened in his grip. “What? Where?”

A bitter smile thinned his lips. “I cannot tell you—yet.

Remember only what I said before: I‟ll never do you harm.”

No answer came. The bell tolled on the half hour.

With renewed urgency, the shadow hissed, “You loved

me once. While I‟ve changed in many ways, my heart hasn‟t.
That‟s why I came back to you. He who made me what I am
could not truly have me because—” Because I belonged to
another, and wish to still.

“And what are you?” Fear gave way to curiosity.

“The stuff of nightmares to some, sweet salvation to

others.”

“And what of your soul?”

“That I kept.” So far. His satisfied organ slipped from

Peter‟s body, and the shadow turned the man, sealing their
lips together. How he wish he could properly convey the
importance of Peter‟s next words, but couldn‟t without
breaking the terms of his agreement. The decision must be
made without coercion. The stakes were too high to risk a
breach of promise.

Peter faltered. “I… I don‟t know.”

In Shadow | Eden Winters

8

In desperation, the shadow recited their long-ago vows,

“Wherever you go, I‟ll go. Whatever you do, I‟ll be by your
side.”

Hot tears burned his skin, Peter burying his face in the

shadow‟s neck. “Not a day goes by that I don‟t miss you.
When you disappeared, the priest said you might return for
me some day and that I must resist.”

Good advice, or so I once believed. “I loved you, Peter,

love you still. But the choice is yours.” Even if you doom me
for all eternity by saying no.

Wrapping his arms tightly around this man for whom

he‟d risk all, the shadow made the ultimate sacrifice. “Tell
me no, Peter, for I would not have you exist only in shadows,
lurking in hidden corners to rid the world of the evil that
men do.”

“What do you mean?”

“You asked what I am. To some I‟m the horror that lies

in wait, to others, a saving grace. My kind aren‟t what you‟ve
been told, not most of us. The priests call us demons
because they know only the ones who serve themselves first
and foremost, like the one who attacked me, wanting me for
his own.”

Peter gasped. “A… a demon stole you from me? What of

him?” His white-hot fury appeared to the shadow as blazing
spider-webbed strands, tinged with red and blue.

“I‟ve been keeping him at a distance, thus far.” Please

say yes, please say yes.

In Shadow | Eden Winters

9

“And if I say no?” Defiant until the end, that was Peter.

Answering a direct question didn‟t compromise the

terms of his bargain. “Then I cannot refuse him; the vows we
made will be broken.”

Gentle tears turned to racking sobs. Did Peter mourn for

what they‟d once shared or the humanity he‟d soon give up?
“I don‟t go back on my promises,” mingled with his cries.

Hope was something the shadow barely recalled. He

proceeded with caution. “Will you give up the life you live
now to come with me?”

Peter barked a bitter laugh. “What life? It ended the day

you left.”

Do I dare to dream? “Is that a yes?”

The word was softly spoken, but spoken nonetheless.

“Yes.”

The runes on Peter‟s body rivaled the rising sun‟s glow,

twisting, turning, writhing, etching themselves into his skin.
Where once a man had stood, now stood—something else.
Not completely man, but not fully demon either.

Peter stared in awe at his transformed body, and at the

one who‟d turned him. “What am I?”

For the first time in three years, the shadow smiled,

thinking his lover perfect in any form. “We‟re protectors. We
stop evil ones before they carry out their schemes. It doesn‟t
pay much, but you get all the scum you care to destroy.”

Steam hissed up through the cracks in the

In Shadow | Eden Winters

10

cobblestones, assuming the vague outline of a man. “We
have no further dealing, you and I,” the shadow growled at
the new arrival. “Be gone.” The thing dissipated into smoke
with an angry snarl, a sudden gust of wind blowing it away.

“Wha… what? What was that?”

“Him,” the shadow replied, fighting the urge to crow in

relief. “The one who changed me. He didn‟t know I belonged
to another, and when I denied him on the grounds of my
commitment to you, he planned to destroy you. I made a
bargain. In exchange for your safety, I‟d become his. And I
would have if you‟d chosen to end our vows. You see, „til
death do us part‟ matters—we aren‟t quite dead and now
we‟re not parted. You get me, he doesn‟t.”

“So when I said yes….”

The shadow grinned. “You renewed our vows, love.” He

sealed their reunion with a kiss. “Come now, we have a lot to
talk about and the sun is rising. Let‟s go home.” Wrapping
his arms firmly around his husband, the shadow added,
“And I‟ll teach you our new names.”

In Shadow | Eden Winters

11

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Somewhat of a nomad,

E

DEN

W

INTERS

has visited seven

countries so far. Her earliest memories include making up
stories for the family‟s pets, and through her academic years,
she wrote many short stories and poems. Dreams of writing
professionally were realized, only not as planned, with a good
dozen years spent as a technical writer.

She began reading GLBT fiction as a way to better
understand the issues faced by a dear friend and fell in love
with the M/M romance genre. During a discussion of a
favorite book, a fellow aficionado said, “We could do this, you
know.” Eden wrote her first novel shortly thereafter and
never looked back.

Currently, Eden calls the southern US home, and many of
her stories take place in the rural South. She lives alone,
having successfully raised two children, and divides her time
between a day job, friends, writing, trying different varieties
of vegetarian cuisine, and outdoor adventures such as hiking
and camping. Her musical tastes run from Ambient to
Zydeco, and she‟s a firm believer that life is better with pets.
She also loves cruising down the road on the back of a
Harley Davidson.

Visit Eden‟s website at

http://www.edenwinters.com

.

Contact her at

[e-mail]

.

In Shadow ©Copyright Eden Winters, 2011

Published by
Dreamspinner Press
382 NE 191st Street #88329
Miami, FL 33179-3899 USA
http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the
authors’ imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead,
business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

Cover Art by Anne Cain [e-mail]
Cover Design by Mara McKennen

This book is licensed to the original purchaser only. Duplication or distribution via any means is
illegal and a violation of International Copyright Law, subject to criminal prosecution and upon
conviction, fines and/or imprisonment. This eBook cannot be legally loaned or given to others. No
part of this eBook can be shared or reproduced without the express permission of the publisher. To
request permission and all other inquiries, contact Dreamspinner Press at: 382 NE 191st Street
#88329 Miami, FL 33179-3899 USA http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/

Released in the United States of America
October 2011

eBook Edition