Blood Claim - Selena Illyria

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Out Now, Blood Claim: Tainted!

May 4th, 2010 | Author: Selena

Blurb:

Syrus was seeking revenge. Jessye was just trying to adjust to having a new leader. Their desire burns hot, but the past and stubbornness stands between them.

Syrus will claim Jessye as his consort and gain the revenge for the murder of those he loved. Jessye will submit to him. Like hell, Jessye says. She is no one?s consort. She stands on her own and doesn?t need him. But her hunger for him haunts them both between the hunt for a murderer and political games.

Dark magick and blood, anger and desire will bring them together but also push them apart. Love, lust, need, revenge can all be tainted. Forgiveness and acceptance can heal it all.

Publisher’s Note: This book contains explicit sexual content and graphic language.

Buy Link:

http://www.loose-id.com/Blood-Claim-Tainted.aspx

An Excerpt from Selena Illyria’s Blood Claim: Tainted

The moon hung full and luminous in the sky as Jessye and her team hugged the western wall of the property. The mission was simple: capture Lorrie, dead or alive. If alive, she would be tried in the high court for the murder of Syrus and Rysen’s family.

But only if she was taken alive. Jessye preferred her dead.

Over the past few months, Lorrie had managed to capture and kill too many of Jessye’s people. She glanced at Syrus in front of her. Correction: their people. The last one had been taken from one of Syrus’s safe houses.

Anger trembled through her before she could gain control of it. Syrus paused in front of her and looked back at her in question. She shrugged. He shook his head and moved forward.

She crept after him. A shiver of unease traced its chilly fingers up her spine as the seconds slipped by. Syrus paused again, his dark head turning this way and that in the pale moonlight. She opened her mouth to ask what was wrong but closed it when she saw him give the signal to keep moving. She blew out a relieved breath and crept along until he stopped again.

?Halt! Who’s out there??

She rolled her eyes. Moron. Like someone trying to break in is going to answer. She shook her head and waited. Her grip on the dagger in her right hand tightened. She wanted revenge, but first they needed to get into the compound.

?Jessye, I’m going to send some people on ahead. You’re with me.? Syrus’s voice slipped into her mind seamlessly, raising goose bumps over her skin. It still made her uncomfortable having this mental connection to him.

The sounds of a scuffle ahead brought her out of her thoughts. A soft groan floated on the air as she and Syrus moved forward.

?Threat’s taken care of.? Adrian, Syrus’s second in command, shifted from wolf back to man and returned to the group.

Lights flashed on, and for a second, Jessye was blind. A whip cracked, and pain stung the side of her neck.

A woman encased from head to toe in leather appeared before her, a bright red band on her arm signifying she was one of Raphael’s guards. She flicked her wrist, and a sharp crack rent the air. Pain burst on Jessye’s neck again. Not too far from her, she heard the sounds of Syrus and Adrian fighting off their own attackers.

Jessye growled and took a step forward. She focused her energy into her hands and threw a burst of power at her opponent. Jessye aimed her power at the woman’s wrist.

The whip flew from her hand to the ground. It didn’t stop her, though; she flicked her wrist again, and a burst of power hit Jessye on the cheek. With a growl, Jessye rushed her and took her down. Jessye got the upper hand and managed to land a few blows to the woman’s face. Her rival finally stopped moving.

All around her, the sounds of fighting filled the air. ?Fall back. There’s too many of them,? Adrian yelled.

A hole opened up in the enemy line, and Syrus rushed through it.

?Shit.? Jessye ran after him. She refused to have him captured or killed because he’d lost his head in the name of revenge.

?God damn it, Syrus. Get back here!? She didn’t care if anyone heard her; all she cared about was getting the team back to the safe house alive. Their footsteps rang across the cobblestoned walkway as he ran around the side of the house. She swore, her legs working overtime to catch up. ?Get your ass back here, you meathead. You’re going to get us killed.?

Either he didn’t care or he couldn’t hear her, because he ran faster, climbed up the gate, and went over the top. A soft thud told her he’d landed.

Jessye grumbled as she followed, tired, her energy nearly spent. She looked around for Syrus and found him a few feet away. ?The mission is shot. We need to go, now.?

He stopped moving, much to her relief. ?Lorrie’s in there. I know she is.?

?And we’ll come back and drag her out by the hair, but we need to go now. Think of your people. They need you.?

I need you, she added silently.

He turned around, and for a moment hope bloomed inside her. But the feeling was short-lived. A lithe blonde encased in a pearlescent silk sheath came into view. One pale hand held a wicked-looking curved dagger with serrated edges.

Lorrie.

?Syrus, look out!? She ran toward him and watched in slow motion as Syrus turned around. His face contorted in a mixture of shock and anger. He lunged for the woman and missed, and the blade sank into his side. Syrus tried to reach for her again, only to have her move out of the way.

?I’m going to kill you.? Syrus lifted his arm. A dagger gleamed in the moonlight. He thrust it at her.

Lorrie sidestepped him. ?Missed me. Try again, mongrel.?

The dangerous dance happened in flashes of awkward movement. His steps stumbled as she moved with fluid grace out of the way. Syrus tripped and fell to a knee. A cruel smile curved on her lips. The dance slowed down until both parties were standing still: him kneeling, his dagger hand planted on the ground while his arm covered his midsection, and Lorrie standing over him.

Dark red stained his shirt. The blot grew bigger with each movement. Lorrie raised her knife again. The shock wore off. Jessye leaped into action, rushing toward him. Lorrie looked up. A sneer contorted her pretty face. She turned and ran into the darkness. Jessye would have gone after her had Syrus not sunk to the ground, holding his side. Jessye dropped down beside him. Taking him in her arms, she tried to cover the bleeding with her free hand.

?Lorrie? Go after Lorrie.? Syrus struggled to get up.

A quick survey of their surroundings showed that Lorrie had disappeared.

?Shut up and lie still. I’m not leaving you. We’ll get her next time. I can’t teleport. I don’t have enough energy.?

The blood felt hot against her palm. The pungent scent of his liquid life floated through the air and grew thicker with each second. He was losing so much blood that she wondered if he would be able to heal.

She looked around, panicked. Her heart thudded against her chest, and a sense of dread took hold of her. Exposed, in the middle of what appeared to be a driveway, she heard the sounds of a scuffle drift through the night toward her. No help was coming for them.

Sweat soaked her brow and ran in rivulets down her face. Her damp shirt stuck to her like a second skin.

Moving as quickly as she could, she laid Syrus on the ground, shrugged out of her jacket, and wadded it against the wound.

Closing her eyes, she reached out with her mind for help. ?Don’t you dare die on me.? She hit him in the shoulder with her free hand.

He coughed. ?If I didn’t know any better, I’d think you cared about me. You’ve done a damn good job of avoiding me these last few months.?

?I don’t care about that,? she lied. She looked around, but no one had answered the call. The sounds of battle continued to drift toward her. ?You’re the leader of our little motley crew of rebels. I refuse to try and lead them without you. I’d just end up killing them all.?

A light breeze brushed her face, and she shivered. Goose bumps broke out over her skin as the sweat cooled.

?I’m not healing.?

?What??

?I’m not healing, and I feel odd, like fire is lapping through my veins and swirling around my stomach.? He struggled again to sit up. ?My heart is pounding so fast.?

His voice sounded hoarse, as if he had been yelling.

No, no, no. It can’t be?

Not voicing her worry, she raised her blood-covered hand to her nose. A light, bitter odor wafted to her nostrils. With great trepidation, she flicked her tongue over her palm. A burst of acid washed over her taste buds, chased by a sickening sweetness.

He’d been poisoned.

?I’m dying, aren’t I?? he asked softly.

?Not on my watch, meathead. I’m going to get you out of here if it’s the last thing I do.? She gathered as much of her energy as she could and focused on teleporting them. Warmth flooded her body and pulsed through her veins. A sense of floating surrounded her. The sensation stopped. The gates they had climbed over came into view. They had moved only a few feet.

A sense of weariness took hold of her. Panting softly, she tried to push back her exhaustion and gather more energy.

?Sassy, you okay??

She slapped him on the arm. ?Stop calling me that, or I’ll have to start calling you sugar britches in front of your troops.?

He chuckled. ?What else should I call you? Honey seems to be too sweet for such a firecracker like you. How about I start calling you Sparky??

She winced. ?That’s even worse than Sassy.?

?Then Sassy it is. Just as long as you don’t start calling me sugar britches.? A fit of coughing cut off his laughter.

Her heart stuttered in her chest. He opened his mouth, but she shook her head and put a finger to her lips.

Voices floated toward them. It sounded as if they were arguing.

Her energy still hadn’t recovered. She couldn’t move them just yet, but she could shield him. ?I’m going to get up. Don’t move, do you understand? Regardless of what you see me do, don’t move.?

?What are you doing?? He struggled but couldn’t sit up.

Jessye moved out from under him and laid his head on the ground. ?Don’t move. I’m too tired to deal with distractions.? She stood up. Her fangs lengthened, and she bit into her palm. Blood welled up fast, and a pang of pain hit her abdomen. Hunger mingled with a gnawing ache that quivered in waves through her body. I need to feed.

With that reminder, she called on her remaining power and focused on what Blyder had taught her about protection magick and blood.

Apprehension dogged her steps as she began to walk in a circle. She made two complete loops, muttering in the old language, and turned her palm downward to let the blood drop to the ground. With each drop that hit the stone, a small beam of light shot upward to the sky. She continued to walk the third circle until Syrus was completely encircled in light.

?Sassy??

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw him try to rise. ?Stop moving. If you break the beam of light, it will cut you in two. Besides, I don’t want to tell Rysen I lost you.? Her head swam, making concentration difficult.

She muttered the last of the incantation and slammed her palm down onto the ground. When she lifted her hand, what remained was not a bloody bite wound, but a perfect pentagram. She straightened up and swayed on her feet.

?What’s wrong with you??

It took a bit more energy than she had to regain her balance.

?Damn it, Sassy. Answer me. By the laws of blood claim, as I have declared you my consort, I order you to tell me what is going on.?

?I’m fine.?

?Liar.?

?Shut up and stay where you are. If you hurt yourself trying to get to me, I swear I’ll kill you. You and Rysen need justice for Lorrie killing your family. Don’t let stupidity stop you.?

The voices came closer. She reached down and unsheathed a small knife from her boot.

?Jessye, please.?

?It’s okay, ma ch?re. Just us.? Adrian came into view, and her shoulders sagged in relief. Golden eyes flashed at her. Shoulder-length dark brown hair blew in the breeze. Rips in his black outfit showed off peeks of his muscular body. ?The house is abandoned. Everyone fled once they saw the bursts of light coming from this direction. They probably thought bad magick was happening, and frankly, so did I. Glad to see it was just you protecting le capitaine. Temar will take down the barrier. You should lean on me, oui? You look about ready to collapse.?

He held out his hand, and she looked down at it.

?It’s clean. I promise you. Washed off the blood before we came over.?

?Don’t be stubborn, Sassy. Take his hand,? Syrus said. ?And once we get back to the compound, and I’m able to see straight, I’m going to spank your ass.?

She whirled around too fast, and the world tilted on its side. She clenched her jaw and glared down at him. ?Try it, and you’ll be pulling back a stump.?

Syrus’s sapphire blue eyes glowed, making her pause. ?You’ll do as you’re told, Consort, and I’ll do as I please.?

Adrian grabbed her biceps and held her back. ?Calm down, ch?rie,? he whispered against her ear. ?He is worried is all. Be still and let this pass. Come let us patch you up, then you can proceed to tear each other apart, oui??

Fire roared through her veins. Warmth seeped into her body. She could feel her energy supply begin to rise. With the surge of power came the tingling reminder of a need for sex and more blood.

?Fine. Wouldn’t want to kill my consort before I’ve had a chance to teach him some manners.? She pulled out of Adrian’s arms, but it wasn’t anger that made her walk away. Syrus looked so pale that his skin was almost translucent.

She marched off and joined the rest of their mission party. She rested for a bit, and as her power rose, her body mended itself. A few minutes later, she had enough energy to teleport. ?I’m going on ahead.?

Not waiting around for a reply, she traveled with her mind to the compound.

? Selena Illyria, May 2010

http://www.loose-id.com/Blood-Claim-Tainted.aspx

Posted in Blood Claim, Loose-Id, Paranormal, Romance, Shifter, Vampires, Werewolves | Tags: Blood Claim, Loose-Id, Paranormal, Shifters, Vampires | Comments Closed

New Cover Candy- Blood Claim: Tainted

March 24th, 2010 | Author: Selena

Check out the gorgeous cover that the wonderful Anne Cain did for Blood Claim: Tainted (Coming Soon to Loose-Id):

*Happy Sigh*

Posted in Blogging, Blood Claim, Book Cover, Cover Candy, Loose-Id | Tags: Blogging, Blood Claim, Cover Candy, Loose-Id | Comments Closed

Blood Claim: Prelude Out Now!

February 11th, 2009 | Author: Selena

Blood Claim: Prelude

Blurb:
It’s the anniversary of Kit being inducted into Vampyre society and Rysen has a few sexy plans up his sleeve — one of which is to reenact the first night he and Kit made love. He’s got the mask, had the room made up. The only problem? A misunderstanding with Kit.

Kit’s ready to for a nice lovers’ getaway with Rysen. The inn is almost done, Jessye hasn’t killed Syrus yet and life is good. That is, until she overhears Rysen on the phone sending roses to another woman. At first she’s confused then anger takes over. She’s not going to let Rysen make a fool of her.

Is he going to have to tie her down to unveil his surprise and explain it?

Publisher’s Note: This book contains explicit sexual content, graphic language, and situations that some readers may find objectionable: Anal play/intercourse, m?nage (m/m/f), spanking.

Buy Link:
http://www.loose-id.net/prod-Blood_Claim__Prelude-879.aspx

Excerpt:
Any minute now, Rysen?s heart was going to burst through his chest. Never in his life had he waited so long to go after a woman or been so afraid of the consequences. His spies had reported her every movement, every like and dislike. He knew practically everything about her, and yet it wasn?t enough. He wanted the woman herself to tell him all her secrets. Kit was a decadent treat he couldn?t wait to taste and savor.

There was an innocence and purity about her. He wanted to be careful, to hold his darker tastes back. Tonight he would seduce her, show her the delights that he, and only he, could offer her.

?So tell me, Sen, what do you have planned for me tonight? It is traditional to give the newly inducted a gift after six months of being part of vampyre society.? There was heat in her dark brown eyes. Her gaze stoked the fire burning within him.

The carriage felt too small, the enclosed space was like a furnace. He swallowed as his cock twitched. ?I have several things planned to help you celebrate your induction. You just have to trust me. Can you do that??

He waited for her response, excitement pumping through his veins. The games were really about to begin.

?Yes, I can do that. Could you please take off the mask?? She gave him a hopeful look and he shifted in his seat, the leather creaking with his movement.

He smiled at her and shook his head.

?I wish to see your face. I wish to know what you look like.?

He shook his head again. ?No. This is part of the present I give to you. Tonight, you must trust me. Do you trust me??

He watched her face. Emotions moved and swirled in her eyes, but he saw no doubts or hesitations, much to his relief. He had to play his part, and he would play it in full tonight.
?All right. I trust you, Sen. I put myself in your hands.? She leaned forward, giving him the perfect view of her cleavage. ?Now give me my present.?

He swallowed. His plan was now tilting on its axis as she stared up at him. ?Present??

Kit nodded. ?Present. I want my present now. Make me forget about what I have to go back to when morning comes. I don?t want to think about suitors or men who may or may not be interested in me.?

Rysen felt his control slipping from his hands as he gazed into her eyes. He needed to regain his composure fast. ?I promise you, I will make you forget every last one of them.?

He brought his head down until their lips were only a few millimeters apart. ?First, I plan on kissing you slowly. If you?ll allow me, I plan on undressing you, exploring this beautiful body with my mouth and hands. Do you like the sound of that??

He waited for her answer. His heart was pounding so hard he was afraid it would burst through his rib cage. He had to tread slowly. Rysen was very sure she had never experienced anyone like him. He didn?t want to scare her or make her uncomfortable. Besides, he was in enough trouble as it was with Jessye.

Ignoring the demand of his body to close the distance and kiss her, drag her toward him, and feel her curves against him, Rysen watched her reaction to his words. His cock and fangs throbbed with need. He didn?t want to just taste her blood; he wanted to fuck her until she screamed. Clearing his thoughts, he took in a deep breath and waited for her response.

It didn?t take long. She brought her face closer to his and brushed her lips against his, once, twice, three times. The slight contact fired his blood. Growling, he took hold of her head and held it still. He kissed her with passion, nipping her bottom lip and sucking the plump flesh into his mouth.

His fangs burst forth, pain shot through his mouth, but he didn?t care; the thudding of his heart against his rib cage, the silken feel of her hair against his palms, the light vanilla scent of her were all he knew. Rysen bit down, his fangs sank into her lip, and her blood spilled into his mouth.
In the back of his mind he cautioned himself not to take too much of her blood, only a small taste. Too much would bind them together. He didn?t want that just yet. Closing his eyes, he lost himself in the salty, sweet taste of her. Inhaling deeply, he let himself drown in the musky perfume of her arousal.

Her soft cry made his groin tighten. His heart pounded against his chest as need surged through his veins. He sucked harder, drinking more of her blood into his mouth. The fiery liquid rushed over his taste buds. The sweet elixir was the thing that broke him.

He growled again. He used his vampyric quickness and strength to push her against the opposite seat. His body pressed hers into the cushions. Her hands clutched his biceps, her nails dug into the silk-covered flesh. That was all it took to regain his control. Swearing, he pulled back. He licked the last drop of her blood off his lips and bowed his head. ?I?m sorry, Kit. I truly am. I lost myself.?

?Did I tell you to stop?? Her eyes flashed, glittering dangerously. She leaned forward, grabbed him by the lapels of his jacket, and pulled him to her.

Her strength surprised him. Then all his thoughts scattered when her breasts pressed against his chest.

He groaned. ?I need to see you. I need to taste you.?

She let go of his lapels and untied the ribbon of her corset. He watched her hands deftly undo the silken strips, pulling the sides of the corset apart to reveal a camisole underneath. He let out a sound of frustration. ?You women have far too much underclothing for my liking.?
Brushing aside her hands, he grabbed the delicate material and ripped it.

She gasped and then giggled. ?You?re very eager, aren?t you??

?To see and taste you? Yes, I?m more than eager.? He pushed the sides of the corset and camisole farther apart, exposing her small, high breasts. In the soft, golden light, her skin glowed. Her dark chocolate nipples beckoned to him. He lowered his head, swirling just the tip of his tongue around one dark brown areola. She squirmed underneath him; her hips ground against his. Her movements fanned the fire roaring through him. He could just imagine what it would be like to feel her body move underneath him as they made love.

He pulled his head back and blew, watching the tip tighten. Again, he circled the turgid peak before taking it between his teeth and sucking it into his mouth. Her moan inflamed him further. He ground his hips against her, but the friction was not enough. His cock pressed against his breeches, needing to be released.

He scraped a fang over her nipple. She gasped and shuddered beneath him. He transferred his attention to the other nipple. She buried her fingers into his hair, nails scraping his scalp as she held his head against her breast. Arching her back, she ground her hips harder against his. She moaned his name, and that nearly broke him.

The carriage rolled to a stop, and a moment later, there came a tap on the door. Releasing her nipple with a soft pop, he kissed his way upward until he reached her lips. He pressed his mouth to hers softly, then shrugged out of his jacket and handed it to her. ?Put this on. I don?t want anyone to see your beautiful breasts but me.?

She laughed. ?Possessive, aren?t we??

?You don?t know how much. Now hurry,? he murmured. ?I need you, and I can smell the intoxicating scent of your arousal.?

She took his coat and pulled it on, then buttoned it up with deft fingers. He pushed open the door and got out before turning and helping her down from the carriage. In the dim light of the carriage house, he could see her hair was mussed. The silver ribbon was threatening to escape, weaving through the waves and curls that fell around her shoulders. He reached out and tucked a few strands behind her ear, letting his fingers run over the delicate strands.

Rysen watched her body shudder, and smiled. Whatever happened this night, he knew this would bind them together. She had mesmerized him, intoxicated him, and he didn?t want to let go of her. But he had to remain in control. If what he had heard was true, and Ryu really had abandoned his clan, it could lead to an alliance between their two houses, despite Jessye?s obvious dislike of him. Rysen wanted Kit to be his consort. He couldn?t picture anyone else at his side but her.

Kit looked up at him, a question in her eyes. ?Are you going to stand there and let me freeze?? Her lips curved into a smile, and for a moment, he was caught off guard. ?If you?re not careful, I shall need help warming up.?

Reaching out, he cupped her cheek, and she turned toward his touch. He brushed his thumb over her plump lower lip. The flesh looked bruised. He preened at that. I will be her lover. No one else will be with her.

His stomach dropped at the thought, and a shiver raced up his spine. It felt almost as if someone were walking on his grave. Ignoring the sensation, he trailed his hand down, caressing her neck and shoulder, and let it glide down her arm to take hold of her hand. Their fingers threaded together. The feeling seemed honest and right, as if the world had fallen into place. Home.

?Come, darling; let?s go inside so I can warm you up properly.? His voice was surprisingly hoarse with emotion. He started to turn away and head to the door when she tugged on his arm.

?Is something wrong?? she asked.

He raised an eyebrow rose in question. ?No, why??

?Something happened between us, something I can?t name.? Her face scrunched in concentration.

?I?m not sure what you mean.? He knew he was lying, but to tell her what was on his mind would scare them both.

He turned and led her toward the door. Inside, the golden glow of the wall sconces led him upstairs and to his bedroom. He pushed open the door, pulled her inside, and then tugged her against his body. Using his mind, he closed the door and then wrapped his arms around her.

?Ready for your presents??

With a thought, he lit the room. Candles flared to life and bathed them in a soft, warm light. She gasped and looked around her. Rose petals and candles were everywhere. Her eyes wide, she looked up at him. ?Is this all for me??

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