Dark Panther (BBW Paranormal Shifter Romance) Read online

  Dark Panther (BBW Paranormal Shifter Romance)

  Dark Panther: Book One

  Tara Shuler

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  The beautiful and curvaceous Lucy Scott has always been a hopeless romantic with a tender heart, but that fact has gotten her into trouble more times than she can count. She’s fallen in love with a string of broken bad boys that have done nothing but break her heart.

  She fears the same thing when she is rescued by the handsome Logan Black after a freak storm during a camping trip. He’s got a past darker than anything she’s ever seen, even her own, and she’s certain he’ll turn out to be just like the rest.

  But Logan has an even darker secret. When his temper flares or he is in fear, he turns into something… dark… primal. Out of fear for what he might do to someone, he’s kept himself at a distance from society for most of his life.

  Will Lucy be able to get through to him? If she does, will she be able to handle the darkness she finds? Or will it be the undoing of them both?

  And what will happen when Logan’s biggest rival, his only true enemy, finally discovers him after so many years in hiding?

  WARNING: This story ends in a cliffhanger!

  This publication contains erotic content of an adult nature. It is intended for mature audiences.

  © 2013, Tara Shuler, All Rights Reserved

  Chapter One

  The night was dark… darker than anything Lucy had ever seen, amplifying the terrifying loneliness that wrapped around Lucy like a thick, dark blanket of bitter cold. Even the silvery light of the moon had been blotted out by the thick clouds that rolled in, and Lucy’s flashlight batteries were dead.

  She shivered violently, and her teeth chattered so harshly her head began to throb. She pulled her sleeping bag more tightly around her and tried to bury her face inside it, but this cut off her air supply and made her feel smothered.

  The weather forecast had predicted mild temperatures and clear skies. How could they have been so wrong? She’d never have gone camping, especially alone, if she’d known this could happen.

  The walls of Lucy’s tent flapped wildly as the wind outside shrieked and howled ferociously. She could already hear the patter of something hitting the leaves that littered the ground outside. Was it rain? No, it sounded more like hail.

  Hail sounded a lot like hell, which is exactly where Lucy was feeling like she might be at that moment. Sure, it was cold. Aside from that, she couldn’t think of a situation that felt more like pure damnation than sitting alone in a tent with a ranging storm closing in and not a soul around for hours.

  Suddenly, Lucy’s heart leaped into her throat and threatened to choke her as her whole tent lit up as bright as day and thunder crashed as loudly as a bomb, vibrating the ground underneath her. It began to pound furiously, and she squeaked a little whine of terror. The thunder’s sound quelled to a rumbled, then rolled away over the mountain.

  The shrieking wind grew louder and louder, and soon it sounded like a freight train was headed right toward her. In an instant, the temperature rose into a sweltering, choking heat, and as Lucy struggled to unzip her sleeping bag, she felt the world begin to shift. The ground was suddenly missing, and she began to roll. The tent wrapped around her, clinging to her like plastic wrap. She smacked into something hard, and the sickening crack of bones alerted her to the pain that would come seconds later. She began to swirl around and around, rolling head over heels, smacking into multiple objects.

  For a moment, there was nothing but dead silence and searing pain. Then she noticed the sensation she was falling. Finally, blackness.

  *****

  Her eyelids fluttered. For a moment, she felt a peaceful, blissful warmth and a blessed feeling of comfort. Then she felt nothing but horrid, aching pain all over her body. She groaned and wrapped her arms around her body, clutching it in a desperate attempt to shield her from whatever was hurting her.

  “Hey, relax,” she heard someone say.

  She struggled to open her eyes. She blinked, but her eyes felt as though someone had ground sandpaper into them.

  “Who’s there?” she called.

  “Don’t worry, you’re safe,” the male voice replied gently.

  “Who are you? Where am I?” she asked, panicked.

  “I found you in the woods,” he answered. “You’re pretty banged up.”

  Her brain reeled as she struggled to remember. After a moment, images began to flood her mind, and she recalled the pain and terror she’d experienced in the tent.

  “You still haven’t answered my questions,” she pointed out.

  “My apologizes,” he said. “My name is Logan Black, and you’re in my home. I brought you here when I found you injured in the woods after the storm.”

  “Why not just take me to the hospital?” she asked.

  “The nearest hospital is hours away, and I do not have a telephone nor transportation,” he explained.

  “You don’t have a phone?” she asked. “Or a car? How do you survive out here?”

  “I have been out here for quite some time,” he said. “I get along fine without modern conveniences.”

  Now an image of this man was becoming clear in Lucy’s mind. He was probably a dirty old hippy with a thick, bushy beard, and wearing Birkenstocks. She imagined him as being very creepy, and the thought made her shudder.

  She tried again to open her eyes, but everything was a blur. All she could see was a flickering orange-yellow light that she assumed must be a campfire. She could hear the cracking and popping of the flames, and feel their warmth – a welcome change from the frigid temperatures she’d felt prior to the storm.

  She tried to sit up, but quickly collapsed with a groan of intense pain. She wrapped her arms around herself and whined pitifully.

  “Relax,” Logan said. “You’re hurt pretty badly; you need to rest.”

  “Oh, right,” she said. “Could you rest if you were alone in the middle of nowhere with a complete stranger you couldn’t see?”

  “I could if I knew how vital it was to my health,” he argued.

  “Well, okay, fine, but you’re a guy,” she pointed out. “I’m a female, and you’re a male.”

  “Point taken, but I assure you that you are safe with me,” he said.

  “Well, you would say that, now wouldn’t you?” she said.

  “Please, just rest,” he implored. “Nothing I could do to you at this point would likely hurt you any worse than you’re already hurt, so just close your eyes and get better.”

  He had a point, and Lucy could see it. Every part of her body ached. It was a dull, throbbing ache that radiated from spot to spot. If she moved, the pain would stab her like a thousand searing blades all at once. At this point, even if he was a serial killer, death might be welcomed as a way to take away her pain. Besides, it hurt too much to argue.

  Lucy felt her muscles begin to relax. She felt herself beginning to drift away, and she quickly said, “I’m Lucy, by the way. Lucy Scott.”

  “Nice to meet you, Lucy. Now rest.”

  The crack and pop of the fire and its blessed warmth began to lull her to sleep, and before she knew it, she was carried away into blissful sleep.

  Chapter Two

  “Please, drink this,” Lucy heard someone say. “Please!”

  His voice echoed as though he were at the end of a long tunnel. It reverberated inside her head until she could hardly understand his words. Her eyelids fluttered, and she tossed her head from side to side, muttering incoherently.

  She felt something against her lips, and cool wetness washed over her tongue. She sputte
red, coughing as it trickled into her windpipe.

  “You have to swallow,” he commanded her. “Swallow it!”

  Again, the cool liquid hit her tongue. Confusion clouded her mind, and she began to shiver. The fire crackled nearby, but she felt as though she were enveloped in a raging snowstorm. Her teeth rattled together, and she curled into a ball. Pain wracked her body, and tears stung her eyes. She coughed, and the liquid spewed from her lips.

  “Drink!” he demanded, and one again the cool liquid entered her mouth. This time, she swallowed a little.

  As the cool liquid hit her stomach, it lurched. Nausea overtook her, and she clasped her hand tightly over her mouth. She gagged, but managed to contain it. Moments later, she was asleep once more.

  *****

  Lucy awoke to intense heat. Her whole body felt like it was in a furnace. Her hair clung to her forehead and neck in thick clumps, and sweat trickled down every part of her skin.

  “Hot…” she whispered hoarsely, clawing furiously at her clothing and kicking violently at whatever covered her. “Hot!”

  She immediately felt something cool and wet touch her forehead, and she could have sworn she heard it sizzle when it touched her skin. The coolness slowly soothed her, and before long sleep took over again.

  *****

  The sound of a vicious growl jerked her out of sleep. Her heart began to thump wildly, fearful that some snarling beast was about to devour her. She tried to open her eyes, but they still burned like someone kicked sand in them. Again came the growl, and her heart jumped, but then she realized the sound was accompanied by a ravenous gnaw deep inside her.

  “Would you like something eat?” a voice asked.

  She tried to answer, but her throat burned and stuck together and sound could not escape, so she only nodded. She heard the sound of metal scraping against metal, and a heavenly scent wafted into her nostrils.

  “Open up,” he said, and she parted her lips slightly.

  She heard him blowing air several times, and then something warm and savory hit her tongue. It was hearty and rich, with a gamey flavor that was not at all unpleasant. After several bites, she began to recover a bit of strength. Finally, she could speak.

  “What is this?” she asked weakly.

  “Stew,” he answered.

  “Yes, I gathered that,” she said. “What kind?”

  “Venison.”

  “Deer?” she asked. She took another sip and added, “It’s good.”

  “It’s made with deer and foraged vegetables,” he said. “Wild carrots, water lily tubers, wild onions, wild mushrooms, and it’s thickened with roasted acorn flour.”

  “Mmm,” she mumbled in acknowledgement, already exhausted from speaking.

  He spooned another bite into her mouth, and she sucked it down greedily. Perhaps it was because of her ravenous hunger, but she couldn’t recall ever tasting anything so truly heavenly.

  “All done,” he finally told her, and she was disappointed. He added, “There’s more for later, but you need more rest.”

  She nodded, and drifted back to sleep.

  *****

  When she woke up again, Lucy noticed the constant dull ache had subsided, and now she only felt pain when she moved. It was bearable. She squinted, fearful that opening her eyes would bring about the burning agony, but she felt no pain.

  She blinked repeatedly, trying to moisten her eyes as the lids stuck to her eyeballs and made it difficult to open them. Finally, through a haze, things began to take shape. A blurry fire danced and flickered in the distance. A dark mass hung above it… a pot, perhaps?

  She pulled herself carefully into a sitting position despite feeling moderate pain, and continued scanning the room with her eyes. Everything was so dark that she could hardly discern her location. The walls were imperceptible… either too far away or too dark to see. The floor was nothing but a hazy, dark blur.

  Then she noticed him. He slept on the floor some distance away. He was lying on what appeared to be a pile of furs, and she could see his shirtless shoulders and back. His muscles twitched, and she figured he must have been dreaming.

  “Logan?” she called gently. He stirred and muttered something, and then went motionless again, so she called again, “Logan?”

  This time, he rolled over, his hand covering his eyes, shielding them from the light of the nearby fire.

  “Hey,” he muttered groggily. “How you feeling?’

  “Better,” she said.

  “That’s great,” he said. “Took you long enough.”

  “Long enough?” she asked. “How long have I been here?”

  “Almost three weeks,” he answered.

  The breath sucked out of Lucy’s lungs as though she’d been punched in the gut. Her head began to swim, and she leaned forward and placed her head on the softness underneath her.

  “I guess people will be missing you,” he commented.

  “Like who?” she groaned. “Like my piece of shit ex who cheated on me? Or the one who used to beat me up? Or maybe my parents who tried to starve me to death and abandoned me in an orphanage when I was a little girl?”

  She was immediately regretful of divulging such personal information to a complete stranger. She pursed her lips together and sighed, frustrated with herself.

  “Sounds like me,” he said, his voice laced with what sounded like pain and regret. “My parents abandoned me, too. But not before leaving me with a few souvenirs to remember them by.”

  He rolled over and bared his back to her, and as her eyes adjusted, she could clearly see numerous scars mottling his skin across his back, his shoulders, and his neck.

  “My god,” she whispered. “And I thought I had things rough.”

  He shrugged and said, “I wish that were all.”

  “What do you mean?” she asked.

  He shook his head and stared off into the distance, clearly not wanting to say anything more than he’d already said.

  “Tell me,” she urged him.

  “Do you think you feel well enough to go home?” he asked her, ignoring her urging.

  She paused, and then said, “I suppose so, why?”

  “I should take you home just as soon as you feel able,” he said.

  Then, without another word, he pulled himself to his feet and disappeared into the darkness.

  “Logan?” she called after him. “Logan?”

  When she received no response, she signed heavily and closed her eyes. As frustrating as it was to be miles away from home in such a state, it was even more so with no one to talk to.

  Well, she thought, if I can’t have a civil conversation with someone, I can at least make myself useful.

  Grunting with discomfort, she gingerly began to pull herself back into a sitting position. Nursing her painful ribs, she carefully placed her feet on the ground, which felt cool and dirty. Her knees trembled, but she managed to put weight on them.

  She began to survey her surroundings and for the first time she realized she was in a cave. The floor underneath her was dark, rich soil that was compacted by years of footsteps. The walls were varied in color, mostly a slate gray with striations of black, tan, brown, and even a coppery coral color. Logan had disappeared through a hole in one wall that Lucy assumed led outside.

  Moving carefully and still in considerable pain, she began to fold the animals skins on which Logan had been lying, and she placed them neatly against the wall. She picked up a few dishes, which were obviously handmade, and stacked them neatly beside the skins, having found no water in which to wash them.

  She was dusting off the rickety wooden table when she heard Logan say, “What the hell are you doing?”

  In an instant, hands were grasping her firmly and she was being led back to bed. She tried to protest, but Logan was insistent.

  “You need to be resting,” he snarled.

  “I’m fine,” she insisted as he pushed her gently onto the bed. “Really, I just needed something to do.”

 
“If you need something to do, I have some books in the corner,” he said firmly. “But you’re in no shape to be up right now!”

  It was that moment when she saw him for the first time without his face being obscured by his hand or by shadows. Her eyes widened, and her lips parted as if to speak, yet she could not. It was several long moments before she realized she wasn’t even breathing. She swallowed hard.

  He certainly wasn’t what she’d expected. He had a thick mass of wavy black hair that was trimmed neatly, though appeared to be naturally tousled. His face has a slight scruff of beard, but definitely not the long, tangled mess she’d imagined. His eyes were intensely blue, and she could see the weight of all his pain inside them.

  “Wow,” she breathed, without realizing she was saying it.

  “What?” he asked, withdrawing backward into the shadows of the cave as though suddenly uncomfortable.

  “You’re beautiful,” she murmured. She still wasn’t aware of what she was saying, or she probably would have censored herself.

  “I’m hideous,” he returned.

  Lucy’s forehead wrinkled, and she paused. Her eyes sought him in the darkness, but he’d melted into the blackness as though he’d disappeared entirely. She couldn’t believe he could think so little of himself.

  “How can you say that?” she asked. “Can you not see yourself?”

  “Whatever you see with your eyes, you don’t see with your heart,” he said. “You don’t see my soul, and my soul is as black as night. It’s blacker than the darkness you see here in this cave. It’s blacker than the coals in this fire.”

  “You’re wrong!” she said, sitting up and leaning forward aggressively. “Who else would have done for a complete stranger what you’ve done for me?”

  “Perhaps I did it only in a futile attempt to atone for my past sins,” he said.

  She pushed upward on her hands, struggling back into a standing position, and said, “I don’t believe that. You have a good heart. I can feel it!”