Soulmates, true love, and forever were just fairy tales—but then I met her.

It didn’t make sense. Hell, I’d spent my whole life dodging anything that even hinted at real feelings. I’d always been the guy who kept it light, never letting anyone get close enough to see the cracks beneath the surface. But Angel had fallen into my life—quite literally—and changed everything. When she was brought into the ED, bloody and unconscious, something had shifted inside me. I couldn’t leave her side, not then and not now.

~Conan Thorin, Day Shift

“It was only a simple kiss,” I said. “It’s not like you threw me against a wall and f***ed me until I didn’t know my name—not that I know my name, but you get my drift. Besides, I all but fell into your lap and begged you to kiss me. No need to be dramatic. It was no big deal.” I huffed.

~Anastasia Volkov, Day Shift

Kol seemed intent on savoring every moment, stretching time until it became a malleable, pliant thing in his hands. His deliberate and precise way of claiming my body would leave an indelible mark on my memory. It was both exciting and a little terrifying, the thought of this confident, possessive pilot taking command of my pleasure.

~Noelle Nichols, Christmas Cancellation

“Eyes on me, Angel,” he commanded, closing the space between us, his breath brushing across my lips. “I’m going to know everything about you—your fears, your dreams, your past, the best and the worst. I want to be the one who stands by you when you’re at your lowest and lifts you up higher at your best. I’ll be the one who fights off anyone or anything that tries to hurt you. You’re mine now, and I will know every part of you, even your darkest origins. Nothing will get in my way. Nothing.”

~Anastasia Volkov, Day Shift

Whatever restraint he’d been holding onto fractured, and those eyes of the unholy turned murderous, setting my blood on fire with equal parts fear and hunger.

~Scarlett Hayes, Eyes of the Unholy

I nodded, trying to pull myself together. Embarrassment washed over me as I realized how exposed I was, both physically and emotionally. Quickly, I wiped my face with the back of my hand. “I’m fine. God, I’m just being stupid. It’s nothing. I’m just tired and—”

“Don’t,” he said firmly, taking my face in both hands. “Don’t say you’re being stupid.”

I froze.

“What you’re experiencing is how sexual pleasure should always make you feel. Giving a man that special piece of yourself is the best gift he could ever receive. You deserve to be adored and pleasured in every way, to be praised and feel loved. Your body is your temple, and any man should be lucky enough to worship before it.”

My heart cracked wide open.

~Daria Melnichenko, Mission Shift

And so I waited in silence for him to make the next move. It was a calculated risk, placing my trust in him, but after everything we’d shared today, this was just another step along the path we were now on together. And as uncomfortable as it was to let go, to relinquish control, something deep inside told me it was worth it to see where this journey with Mr. Captain might ultimately lead.

~Noelle Nichols, Christmas Cancellation

He was mine now. My stray.

The thought bit at me, sharp as a shepherd’s canine. My mother’s voice whispered from the past: “You can’t turn your back on someone in need, Dasha.” She’d always said that when bringing home another mangy dog or helping a stranger in trouble. Back then, I’d thought it was all just fun and games—the more furry friends, the better. Now, I understood all too well why she’d done it. She’d been a virtuous soul married to the Devil.

Except, this stray wasn’t a helpless puppy. He was a tall, strong, hot-as-hell paramedic with kind eyes. A man from a world entirely different than anything I’d ever known.

~Daria Melnichenko, Mission Shift

A smile spread across my face before I could stop it. God, he was handsome. But it went deeper than that now. He was the only person on this earth I trusted without hesitation. Somewhere along the brutal path that had led us here, he’d worked his way into my head and my heart, my future without ever asking, and I didn’t mind one bit.

~Scarlett Hayes, Eyes of the Unholy

He, a man who took what he wanted, had no way of knowing that he held a woman who had never been taken. He had no idea I was still a virgin, that I’d never done any of this before.

I’d kept it to myself, thinking I would know when the right time would be for my first lover.

And now, somehow, the right time looked a hell of a lot like being pinned against a wall and f***ed by a man who’d stalked me for weeks.

~Lyla Oakley, Eyes on You