Posts Tagged ‘Paranormal’

Ah, Villains. My favorite. They add tension, conflict, danger, and suspense to any story. And in the case of The Zero Dog War, they bring the humor by the busload.

Yes, I just finished writing a comedy Urban Fantasy. It stars a heroine who is a mercenary captain trying to save her team from bankruptcy and save her heart from a potential rival—Green Beret Jake Sanders. But the craziness really ramps up when the villain strolls onto the scene. Meet Jeremiah Hansen, capitalist necromancer whose business plan involves using the zombies he controls to work in a factory that produces powdered gelatin. The Zero Dog mercenaries are ordered to stop him, and wild zombie-fighting mayhem ensues.

And if that scenario wasn’t wacky enough, Evil Overlord Jeremiah has a few odd personality quirks that sometimes hinder, sometimes advance his plot for world domination.

1) Jeremiah is a necromancer overlord and entrepreneur who hates golf. Hates it. He’s horrible at it. And despite the golf course being the “green boardroom,” he still can’t get a handle on the game. When he rules the world, golf will be banned.

2) He transports his zombie hordes around in a yellow school bus. This is by necessity, and not a stylistic choice, as school buses generally score low on the Villain Cool Scale.

3) He robs banks. With zombies. Enough said.

4) He has a crush on the heroine. And I think we can all guess this can only end badly.

5) Keeping zombies in line is a thankless, 24 hour a day task. Yes, when your employees are largely hungry mindless undead, it can be a struggle dealing with HR issues, productivity challenges, and manufacturing safety. If a few zombies end up in the powered gelatin mix, he’ll never be able to get the factory ISO 9000 certified—not to mention it throws off the color and taste of the lime flavor product.

6) All this and more! Seriously, there’s a ton more jokes/humor/comedy in this book. Everything from nudist-inclined werewolves to mages who can summon alien ferrets and demonic kittens.

Also includes: Action, romance, more action, forklift accidents, dark elves, and fire.

Here’s the blurb:

The first bullet is always free. After that, you gotta pay.

Zero Dog Missions, Book 1

After accidentally blowing up both a client facility and a cushy city contract in the same day, pyromancer and mercenary captain Andrea Walker is scrambling to save her Zero Dogs. A team including (but not limited to) a sexually repressed succubus, a werewolf with a thing for health food, a sarcastic tank driver/aspiring romance novelist, a three-hundred-pound calico cat, and a massive demon who really loves to blow stuff up.

With the bankruptcy vultures circling, Homeland Security throws her a high-paying, short-term contract even the Zero Dogs can’t screw up: destroy a capitalist necromancer bent on dominating the gelatin industry with an all-zombie workforce. The catch? She has to take on Special Forces Captain Jake Sanders, a man who threatens both the existence of the team and Andrea’s deliberate avoidance of romantic entanglements.

As Andrea strains to hold her dysfunctional team together long enough to derail the corporate zombie apocalypse, the prospect of getting her heart run over by a tank tread is the least of her worries. The government never does anything without an ulterior motive. Jake could be the key to success…or just another bad day at the office for the Zeroes.
Product Warnings
Contains explicit language, intense action and violence, rampaging zombie hordes, a heroine with an attitude and flamethrower, Special Forces commandos, ninjas, apocalyptic necromancer capitalist machinations, absurd parody and mayhem, self-deluded humor, irreverence, geek humor, mutant cats, low-brow comedy, and banana-kiwi-flavored gelatin.

Get it here! Samhain Publishing

And Get it Here! ARe

And Don’t Forget Here! Kindle

Or Here! Nook

How about Here! Borders

Keith Melton
BIO:

Keith Melton writes Urban Fantasy. He is the author of the Nightfall Series and the Zero Dog Series. His next book, 9mm Blues, releases in April.

Hero or Anti-Hero? By Marie Treanor

For me, the hero of a romance is the lead male character who gets the girl.

I don’t mind if there are two heroes. I don’t mind if he’s got fangs, fur, dubious habits, immoral – or even amoral – behavior, so long as he has that something to make my toes curl. In fact, I’ve always had a soft spot for the hero with a hint of bad – or even a villain with the tiniest hint of good feeling. I like my heroes and my villains to have layers (like Shrek and onions ), so I suppose it’s not surprising if my boundary between hero and villain gets blurred occasionally.

Saloman, the hero of Blood on Silk (and of the whole Awakened by Blood trilogy), was described in a recent review as an antihero. And although he’s certainly the male lead, I suppose for much of the book he doesn’t behave a lot like a true hero. For a start, he aims to kill our heroine (which is hardly “cricket”!) and throughout the story, he murders without an obvious qualm. Well, he’s a vampire. He’s meant to drink human blood. And besides, he’s very sexy, and Elizabeth, the heroine in question has the sneaking suspicion that one night with him might just be worth dying for.

Let’s face it, we’re all attracted to bad boys from time to time. We like the risk (even if it’s more comfortable to read about a romance heroine taking that risk for us!). And vampires are the ultimate bad boys. I had great fun with the wicked sides of Karoly in Hunting Karoly (also in the Seducing Scots anthology), and of Max in Loving the Vampire (City of the Damned ebook collection). They paved the way, to some extent, for Saloman in Blood on Silk.

So what makes Saloman a hero instead of a villain? Surely not just the fact that he inspires all those inappropriate, not to say inconvenient, feelings in Elizabeth, even while she knows she has to kill him before he kills her?

To me, he’s saved from villainy in the end, by his “differentness.” He isn’t a human so he doesn’t think like one. Gradually, throughout the series, it becomes clear that Saloman does indeed have a strict moral code, even if it’s not one that a human can easily understand, let alone identify with. By his own lights, he’s behaving perfectly reasonably. And I think that has parallels in older and greater stories – for example, the heroes from two of my earliest favourite American novels, Mark Twain’s eponymous Huckleberry Finn, and Joseph Heller’s Yossarian from Catch 22, both of whom behaved in unconventional ways and held unconventional views that would have been considered anti-heroic at best to many of their contemporaries, even though they’re perhaps more clearly heroes to modern readers.

(Coming Soon)

Now, I couldn’t behave or even think like Saloman and I don’t want to. Neither does Elizabeth (mostly!). But I don’t believe that makes him a villain. What do you think? Is Saloman a hero or an anti-hero? If you like, read the excerpt below to see if it helps you decide .

BLOOD ON SILK: an AWAKENED BY BLOOD novel
By Marie Treanor
Out Now from NAL – Signet Eclipse.
Order from Amazon; Barnes & Noble; Borders; Book Depository; Penguin; Kindle; Nook; Penguin ePub

Scottish academic Elizabeth Silk is spending the summer in Romania researching historical superstitions for her PhD. While she is tracing local folktales, one subject in particular sparks her imagination. His name is Saloman, legend’s most powerful vampire, a seductive prince staked centuries ago. Now, in the ruins of a castle crypt, Elizabeth discovers the legends are real. Her blood has awakened him. Her innocence has aroused him. But Elizabeth unleashes more than Saloman’s hunger.

An army of vampire hunters has amassed to send Saloman back to hell. Sworn to help – yet fearing Saloman’s deadly blood lust – Elizabeth seeks to entrap him, offering her body as bait. But something stronger than dread, more powerful than revenge, is uniting Elizabeth to her prey. Caught between desire and rage, Elizabeth must decide where her loyalties lie…and what the limits are to a yearning she can no longer control.

***

Saloman went very still, and for a moment, she wondered if she’d won a breathing space at least. Then his lips closed on her throat, caressing and teasing her skin. She was sure he even flicked the vein with his tongue, tapping it like a nurse before inserting a needle.

She trembled, both yearning and dreading and unable to distinguish one from the other. Saloman relaxed the pressure of his body on hers, and the hand on her chest slipped lower between them and closed over her naked breast. She let out a tiny, inarticulate sound that might have been a sigh or a sob.

Saloman lifted his head. His black eyes burned into hers. “I know,” he said, and dropped his gaze to her mouth, to her breasts. His palm moved, gliding over the aching peak of her nipple.

“Know what?” she demanded with desperation, having lost the thread.

“That Zoltán attacked you. He has no finesse.”

“You were there,” she blurted. “You were the other shadow. . . .” And yet she could have sworn she’d surprised him by her original revelation.

“The other shadow? I’m not sure I like that. It offends my sense of superiority.”

A breath of laughter escaped her, as unbidden as it was appalling. “Are you for real?”

“Oh yes.” His hand released her breast to draw the sheet farther down. “Don’t I feel real?” His fingers touched her lips, parting them with a downward sweep that continued over her chin and throat and down between her breasts to her navel. She moved with the caress, arching under his hand because she couldn’t help it. She felt like a musical instrument, played by his careless, talented fingers.

“I began this meal the night you wakened me,” he whispered. “And I will finish it. All of it.”

She swallowed, trying not to squirm under his devouring gaze. Jesus, no one had ever looked at her like that, with such greedy, urgent passion . . . but then no one had ever regarded her as a meal before either.

His finger circled her belly button, dipping in and out.

She gasped, “What do you mean, all of it?” Was there a choice? Could she convince him to leave her alive?

The almost- smile dawned and died on his lips.

“Sex,” he said unexpectedly. She blinked, and his gaze moved up to her face, mocking, yet scalding in its intensity. “That’s what you call it these days, isn’t it? When you’re being polite.” He laid his whole hand flat on her stomach, then swept outwards and downward to her thigh. “Let me say it in my own more familiar terms. Tonight, I will pleasure you. I will take every delight your sweet flesh can give me. And just before sunrise, I will finish the meal.”

Could she negotiate for one without the other? Burning up with his words, she wanted all of it. She remembered the staggering bliss of his killing mouth on her throat, and she was only too aware of her helpless reaction to his touch right now.

He could make me orgasm just by looking at me. . . . Oh shit, what is the matter with me?

“Well, that’s novel,” she managed, with what mockery she could summon, forcing herself to be still under his idly caressing hands. “Dalliance and dinner instead of the other way round.”

His lips quirked. “I offered them both together, as I recall. I believe I can still manage that. Afterward.”

She squirmed, and he smiled, pleased and predatory.

Fighting herself at least as much as him, she tried for further delay. “Why didn’t you just do it then? What’s the point of all the cat-and-mouse?”

“Fun,” he replied, as though surprised. “And the fact that I barely had the strength to stand, let alone fuck.”

Her face flamed all over again, and his hand on her nape massaged the muscles there, sending shivers all the way down her spine. They felt more like bolts of lust.

He said, “I’m better now,” and drew her forward by the nape until her naked body rested against him. There was no time to struggle, if she could have forced herself to it, before his mouth closed on hers in the most sensual kiss she’d ever known. His lips dominated, tasting, then sucking, while his tongue thrust in deliberate simulation of sex. She felt his teeth, those terrible fangs, and without really meaning to, just unable to resist, she touched one with her tongue.

A sound like a groan escaped him. She was swept closer into his body, her breasts crushed against his hard, powerful chest while the hand not caressing her nape splayed flat against her naked back and began to play among her vertebrae, spreading wild, devastating lust straight between her legs.

He opened her mouth wider with his, deepening the kiss. She felt dizzy, as if she were falling, and realized he was pressing her back into the pillows, moving the rest of his body onto the bed with her.

This is it. He’s really going to do it; have sex with me. Everything in her leapt toward that goal, that yearning which had become a need, a necessity. In just an instant, she’d feel the weight of his hard, muscular body. As he removed his clothes, she’d feel his naked skin on hers, his hardness pressing between her thighs. This amazing, beautiful being wanted to have sex with her.

And then he would kill her.

Blood on Silk is available now .
Blood Sin is released on 5th April and is available now for pre-order.
Hunting Karoly is available in e-book from Ellora’s Cave, and in the paperback anthology Seducing Scots, also from Ellora’s Cave.
Loving the Vampire is available as part of the City of the Damned (Book 1 of the collection, Loving the Wolf, is available for $.01 at Changeling Press) e-book collection from Changeling Press.

Marie Treanor lives in Scotland with her eccentric husband and three much-too-smart children. Having grown bored with city life, she resides these days in a picturesque village by the sea where she is lucky enough to enjoy herself avoiding housework and writing sensual stories of paranormal romance and fantasy.
You can find out more about Marie and her books on her website: www.MarieTreanor.com.
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Join the party on her new blog: Marie Treanor’s Romantic Theme Party.

Anyone Want a Slightly Damaged Hero?
By
N. J. Walters

We all love a hero, that brave stalwart soul who will stand side-by-side with the heroine to face down any foe. He’ll use whatever weapons he has at hand—a clever wit, sword, gun, tire iron—to rescue the heroine and vanquish the villain.

Then there is the everyday hero, the man who does what needs doing whether it’s taking out the garbage, changing a tire, or helping the single mom with her kids. Maybe it’s the corporate raider who reforms for just the right woman. There are all kinds of heroes and each of them has a place in romance literature.

I don’t know about most readers, but I’m partial to the anti-hero, that brooding, dark male who is reluctant to help but does it anyway. In spite of his penchant for being a loner and not caring about the world, he is drawn into the heroine’s problems. He may grumble and complain, but he does it because of his own code of honor.

This guy is a hero in spite of himself. He doesn’t think of himself as a hero. He doesn’t want to be a hero. Yet, somehow, it happens as he becomes more and more entangled in the heroine’s life.

I’ve written a lot of these men. What can I say? I can’t help myself. These men are fascinating to watch as they evolve.

My latest in a long line of dark heroes is Isaiah Striker from my newest Legacy werewolf book, Isaiah’s Haven. His past has made him turn his back on the position of enforcer with his pack. He feels he doesn’t deserve the position because of his sister’s disappearance years ago. All he wants is to be left alone. (Brooding hero anyone?)

His downfall from his self-imposed solitude comes about because of one underlying reason—his loyalty to his family. That character trait sends him on a mission to Chicago and it is there he meets the beautiful and independent Meredith Cross. She’s not looking for a male to handle her problems. She’ll take care of them herself, thank you very much. But when she and her family are threatened, Isaiah can’t make himself leave. In spite of his determination to stay away, he’s drawn to her and the plight of her small pack. He’s willing to sacrifice everything and to face his own demons to ensure their safety.

Thus the slightly battered and worn male becomes a hero in spite of himself. His true self emerges from the darkness as he embraces his future.

BLURB:

Isaiah Striker puts family first, the pack a distant second. Which is precisely the reason he’s in noisy, crowded Chicago instead of alone in his beloved woods. One look at the owner of Haven nightclub, however, and a simple favor for his brother turns into something else entirely.

Meredith Cross holds her small pack together with sheer determination. After years on the run, they hide in the glare of the city’s nightlife. Isaiah may heat her blood, but she can’t afford to risk the lives of the outcast half-breeds in her care. Once exposed, every bounty hunter and werewolf purist in smelling distance will hunt them down.

But when their sexual attraction spirals out of control, a moment’s distraction is all it takes to lead danger right to Meredith’s door. For Meredith there’s only one choice: her pack.

But Isaiah knows his mate when he sees her. And he’s not giving up without a fight.

Read an Excerpt: http://store.samhainpublishing.com/isaiahs-haven-p-6034.html
Buy the Book: http://store.samhainpublishing.com/isaiahs-haven-p-6034.html

Some authors like J. R. Ward and Christine Feehan excel at the dark hero. Who are some of your favorite dark heroes? Share. We all love them in spite of themselves. 

—

N.J. has always been a voracious reader, and now she spends her days writing novels of her own. Vampires, dragons, time-travelers, seductive handymen, and next-door neighbors with smoldering good looks—all vie for her attention. It’s a tough life, but someone’s got to live it.

Check out all my books at http://www.njwalters.com
http://www.njwalters.blogspot.com
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/awakeningdesires/ (newsletter group)

Supers? Aren’t they all?

When I started thinking about this idea of Super-heroes and villains, I instantly flashback to the Incredibles and Dash talking with his Mom, Elasticgirl. Mom says “Everyone’s special”, to which Dash grumblingly complains, “That means none of us are…”

I’ve written over 20 books now, and I don’t think any of my heroes have been…well…super. But each and every one of them in some way has been. Let me explain.

I’ve got shifters—wolves and big cats and water-shifters and predator birds. These characters are special and magical in that they can change from a human body to an animal. But that’s not what makes them into heroes. It’s that Keil in Wolf Signs is willing to allow his mate to save them, that Tad in Wolf Flight willingly sacrifices what he thinks is his chance at love to save his sweetie. That the hero of Wolf Games, Erik, waits until Maggie is ready to move on. And in Wolf Tracks, TJ uses logic to explain the unexplainable—a forever kind of love—to his reluctant mate.

No capes, no magic other than the most powerful one of them all—love.

In my contemporaries, there’s another element. The reality of life around us means that there are misunderstandings, misspoken words and hurt feelings. To make it to a HEA there’s got to be patience, compassion and the occasion bout of self-sacrifice. Like Jack in Falling, Freestyle who decides giving up his love might be the best thing for her. Or Maxwell in Turn It Up who knows that giving up his love is not in her best interest, no matter how much she tells him to go away.

And those are the characteristics that make these heroes into ‘Supers’ for me. It’s not that being special takes anything away from how unique each one is. It makes them complete and perfect.

That’s the kind of hero I like—super powers shown in their words and actions, not simply embroidered on their cape.
——

Pacific Passion, Book Two (Coming Soon to Samhain Publishing)

Vivian Arend writes both contemporary and paranormal erotic romance. HEA gaurenteed, with adventures along the way. See website for book list, excerpts and parties/contests.

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Nicole Dennis Bio

Ever the quiet one growing up, I often slid away from reality and curled up with a book in my lap to slip into the worlds of my favorite authors, too numerous to name here, but never forgotten. They saved me from dark times, low moments, and probably from making choices that would have led down darker paths.

Since then, I had a fascination with fantasy, paranormal and the neverending appeal and beauty of romance. Always the happiness and perfection of romance. It seems only natural all of these loves would come together in my writing. I began to craft little stories for my dolls when I was around eight, but all that changed the summer I was fourteen and introduced to my aunt’s Silhouette Presents novels. Oh my, what a world that opened.

It’s been non-stop since that hot New Jersey summer. It’s only gotten worse (in a good way) now?I moved out and created a personal library full of novels filled with dragons, fairies, vampires, shapeshifters of all kinds, and romance, always I came back to romance. Still, there were these characters in my head, worlds wanting to be built on paper, and stories wanting to be told and I began writing them down whether during or after class. I continue to this day, only recently has it begun to become fruitful for me, spreading out to let others read and enter my worlds, meet my characters, and see what I see.

No matter what I write, my stories of romance with their twists of paranormal, fantasy, and erotica will always have their Happily Ever Afters.

I currently work in a quiet office in Central Florida, where I also make my home, and enjoy the down time to slip into my characters and worlds to escape reality from time to time. At home, I also become human slave to two crazy cats – an angelic red tabby and a semi-demonic black-orange calico.

I love to hear from readers and fans, don’t be shy. Find me on the ‘net or send me an email.

Find me at the following links:

nicoledennis.author@gmail.com

Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=app_2915120374#!/pages/Nicole-Dennis/107177776016259
Website: http://nicoledennis.weebly.com

Blog: http://www.nicoledennis.co.cc/

Breathless Press

Buy Page: http://www.breathlesspress.com/erotic/paranormal/demon-heart.html

Demon Heart

A Necklace with a Surprise

*curled up in a Papasan with a purring red tabby on lap* Hello everyone! Thank you, Serena, for having all of us from Breathless Press on your blog. This is such a wonderful pleasure to join you. This is my beloved kitty, Mia, who often lends a paw or flicks a tail across my keyboard, when I?m writing and insisted on joining me. She often keeps a snarky muse from butting into my blogs so it?s a good thing she?s here.

Demon Heart started out as a promise to my youngest cousin to create a story with her as the main character. Constance, the heroine, took on a lot of my cousin?s appearance and quirks while I was writing. Of course, I had to create a fabulous hero for my cuz and Aramir the fire demon appeared. Still there had to be the reason why these two were brought together.

Something beyond a typical reason for Aramir to first be bound to the jewel. Then a reason for Constance to want to help or love Aramir beyond him being a simple?simple?? ::grin::? sex demon.

I don?t want to give away too much.. But I do hope you enjoy the reasons I came up with for Connie and Aramir along with the preternatural town of Maple, Maine, which I will be visiting soon with future stories with Breathless Press.

Don?t forget to comment for a chance to win a free pdf copy of Demon Heart!

Blurb:

Can a fire demon bound to a ruby necklace find a way to love?

Running errands before Halloween, a dazzling ruby necklace in a window display draws Constance Morelli into a store where she hears the tale of a demon bound as a sex slave by an evil sorceress. If she stands naked under the moonlight and repeats a spell, the demon will appear to grant every sexual desire she ever dreamt about. Not quite believing the story, but seeing a flame in the fire, she takes the jewel home and finds herself in possession of a naked demon hunk named Aramir.

After 4,000 years of dealing with various mistresses in one sexual way or another, Aramir knows what to expect when he appears in the moonlight. Only this mistress is different and he finds himself fed, clothed, and treated like a real man not a slave. What is a bound demon to do with such a lady?

Excerpt:

“Holy cannoli, I can?t believe I?m doing this.” Connie ran a hand over hair that ran in wild waves to her shoulders. Her dark forest gaze looked around the quiet, empty backyard somewhat secluded by the fence and huge old oak trees, climbing roses, and lilac bushes. Still, in a neighborhood as small as hers, she never knew when some old coot or horny teen stared out a window, binoculars pressed to their eyes to catch the latest gossip.

A cold nose pressed against her bare skin giving her a bit of a shock. Then a soft whine.

She looked down at the small chocolate lab and terrier mix she recently rescued from the local shelter and brought into her small home. Dropping a hand from where it had a chokehold on the white satin robe, she gave one silky brown ear a scratch.

“Do you think I?m nuts, Cocoa?”

As a baker, what else could she name the little brown and white dog except her favorite baking ingredient? Chocolate. Luckily, it fit the little mutt to perfection.

The dog tilted her head and barked once.

Constance sighed. “Thanks. I?ll take that under consideration.”

The skinny tail swished and thumped against her leg.

Warmth flooded her chest from the ruby flame. It gave her strength to open the robe, lay it over the wooden railing, and walk down to the grass. She looked up as the moon came out from behind the clouds to flood her lawn with the pure natural light.

“This will either work or put me in the mental ward, Cocoa,” Constance said.

After a soft whine, the dog laid down, head on paws.

“Thanks for the support, girl.”

A little woof left the dog as an ear flicked in her direction.

Connie grinned. She cupped her hands around the necklace and lifted it from her skin. After another long inspection of the jewel, she watched the inner flame flicker under the natural light.

Would this actually work?

Standing nude in the moonlight, the necklace her only adornment, she clasped a hand around the flame, closed her eyes, and recited the words.

There was no flash of light. No rumble of sound. The ground didn?t shake. No warm hands on her body.

Her eyes opened. She looked around.

Cocoa whined in question.

“Well, Cocoa, that was a whole lotta nothing. I feel like a complete idiot.” Constance moved toward the patio and snagged the robe. “At least I got a beautiful necklace out of the deal. It?ll go great with my outfit for the dance.”

She lifted it again, only this time, something was different.

The jewel was darker. It felt empty.

Cocoa growled, low and nasty.

“You called me to your bed, milady?”

Spinning, pressing the robe to her front, Constance?s jaw dropped at the sight of the six-foot-three-inch naked male standing at the base of the porch. Not just any male, but a true blue hunk of walking sex.

“Oh my?” she squeaked.

http://www.breathlesspress.com/erotic/paranormal/demon-heart.html

OUT NOW at Changeling Press Last Call Europe: Dog Sled!

BLURB:
Werewolf Silvano wants a break from the drama in pack business. A night out is exactly what he needs. He doesn’t count on his rival’s familiar Hexuba strolling into Last Call.
Black cat shifter and wizard’s familiar Hexuba has always wanted Silvano even though he’s the enemy. One night is all she asks to indulge her wildest fantasies with him. Come morning she’ll be gone.

Will one night be enough?

BUY LINK:
http://www.changelingpress.com/product.php?&upt=book&ubid=1373

EXCERPT:
Last Call Europe: Dog Sled
Selena Illyria
All rights reserved.
Copyright ?2010 Selena Illyria
This e-book file contains sexually explicit scenes and adult language which some may find offensive and which is not appropriate for a young audience. Changeling Press E-Books are for sale to adults, only, as defined by the laws of the country in which you made your purchase. Please store your files wisely, where they cannot be accessed by under-aged readers.

Silvano stood in his bathroom staring at his foggy reflection in the mirror. He drew in a breath and blew it out. Tension sung through his body as he prepared himself for the monthly fuckfest. Or, as his elders liked to call it, the compatibility test. He didn’t buy it for a second. Find your mate by fucking them. He scoffed at the notion but there wasn’t much he could do about it. Either he slept with all the available females in his pack to find a suitable alpha female or he lost his pack. So it was decreed in the pack bylaws, the rules his father had followed as laid out by his father before him and so on and so on, ad nauseam.
As a hormone-driven youth, he’d reveled at the chance to fuck so many willing women. Now, as an adult of thirty-four, with his thirty-fifth birthday right around the corner, he was tired of it. All of it. He’d fucked practically every available woman in the pack. His father had even thought of bringing in women from an allied pack to see if he would fit better with one of them. He’d turned them all down. It wasn’t just the sex that was tiresome, but also the elders and his second lieutenant, the rules, the obligations…

He was alpha, the leader, and yet he couldn’t make up new rules or lead his people the way he wanted. The system was antiquated, governed by laws and decorum that didn’t fit into today’s world of paraphiles, people obsessed with the paranormal and all aspects of it. The young pups lived in a sort of static environment, caught between tradition and the modern age where werewolves could blend in with the normal populace without being shunned for doing so.

The other problem on his horizon was twofold. One was from an ex-pack member, Turk. The man had been begun to dabble in the dark arts, accessing the magick in his blood from his wizard ancestry all in a bid to take over the pack that had exiled him long ago. Silvano feared for his once childhood friend. According to reports, Turk was going insane, being driven by dark forces. There was very little Silvano could do short of killing the man, and he was reluctant to do so. Many in both packs had blamed him for Turk’s current behavior. Silvano had refused to step aside during the pack challenge and let Turk win.

He shook his head. Silvano couldn’t have allowed that. The man was unstable. And now there was the problem of Turk’s black cat familiar: Hexuba. Just thinking her name heated his blood. His cock went from flaccid to semi-hard. He could see her face, the velvety dark chocolate colored eyes. Just a glance made him want to drag her someplace private, away from distractions, and discover what secret places on her body made her cry out and moan.

“Fucking hell.” He fisted his cock at the base and stroked slowly, allowing the arousal to grow. “Hex.” He hissed out her name as his mind painted her image among the wisps of steam. Her delicate nose, high cheekbones and lush, full lips came into view. He groaned again as his thoughts drifted to feeling those lips against his as she explored his body. Silvano could feel the pebbled tips of her nipples scraping across his belly as she moved downward. He wanted to feel her mouth on him, feel her tongue lap at the slit atop his cockhead before swallowing him whole.

The fantasy continued to build as his imagination painted Hex on her knees, lips dragging along his hardened length. The minx would tease him, giving him just enough pressure to send pulses of pleasure up his spine and throughout his body before releasing his cock. She would lap up his seed while pumping him with her hand before returning to torment him with her mouth, and he would love every minute of it.

“Silvano, are you ready?” a high-pitched female voice called out.

The fantasy evaporated just like the steam and he swore. His cock lost some of its hardness as real life came crashing in. With a sigh, he shook his head. “Time to do my duty.”

http://www.changelingpress.com/product.php?&upt=book&ubid=1373

Out Now at Aspen Mountain Press Chocolate Snake Bites: Blurb: Every relationship has problems and for months now all Dale and Val have been doing is fighting. He wants it to stop. So drastic times call for drastic measures. Dale takes the Love?s Bane potion hoping that Val will be too busy lusting after him to fight with him, but sex can?t solve every problem. Val doesn?t want part of her lover. She wants all of him, even the dark aspects of his sexual desire. She yearns for his brand but every time she brings up the subject he shuts her down. How can they communicate when he won?t open up? Will the arrival of his brothers and a trip to the Demonic Snake court help their relationship or hurt it? Buy Link: http://www.aspenmountainpress.com/chocolate-snake-bite/prod_315.html Excerpt: ?Don’t do it,? Cody warned. Dale looked up into Cody’s hard sea blue gaze and nearly reconsidered his actions. His thoughts turned to Val and the last few weeks. He shook his head, path resolved. ?I have to do it. There is no other way.? Cody shook his head. ?This kind of magick isn’t something you just pickup. It’s not something you mess around with. Do you even know what’s in this so-called ‘aphrodisiac.’? Dale winced. ?No. Look, it comes from a reliable person. I trust my source.? ?What does Pietro, say about this? After all, that kind of potion is restricted for demons.? Cody picked up a glass and started cleaning up. His eyes focused on Dale making him squirm from the intensity. ?He doesn’t know?? Dale’s voice trailed off as guilt surfaced for the umpteenth time. Ever since the thought had entered his mind about gaining a small sample of the Love’s Bane, he’d felt guilty. Pietro, King of the Demons was one of his best friends. If he found out what Dale was up to, Pietro would have his balls. ?Let me remind you of why it’s banned. Love’s Bane is an aphrodisiac that is highly addictive. Taken in high qualities it could poison you. It there hadn’t been a pact between demons and warlocks the magickal beings would still be trying to destroy your asses with it. So, I don’t care how bad your relationship problems are. Don’t. Do. It.? Cody emphasized the last few words in short clipped tones. With a sigh Dale looked away from Cody. ?Look, I’m at my wit’s end. I don’t know what to do about Val. She and I have been fighting lately, a lot. I mean we’re a passionate couple but it’s just too much lately. I’m starting to worry that she’ll want to break it off with me.? He loathed feeling so vulnerable. ?I’m Dale Thornston, heir to the Serpentine Throne, the fourth most powerful house in all of Demon world and I’m here, sulking in a bar, drowning my troubles in some drink called Chocolate Snake Bites and talking to you about things I would never tell another soul, not even my best friends or brothers. It’s pathetic. I should be at home fucking the daylights out of my mate, not here. If she hadn’t had to work late again?? he stopped talking and dragged a hand over his face. ?I’m tired of being alone at home.? He would have felt a lot better if he didn’t feel she was avoiding him because of their last fight, which started off over with if there was coffee left in the pot and escalated to not spending enough time together. Dale didn’t know what they were talking about anymore, it was all shouting and crying lately. He didn’t want to lose her and he would do anything just to know that she still wanted to be with him. ?Then why don’t you ask her about her feelings instead of doing something stupid?? Cody asked. ?Such a simple question. Don’t you think I’ve tried that? We either getting interrupted or in a fight and I always end up sticking my foot in my mouth. It just feels like we’re never going to stop fighting. It doesn’t help that there’s a new guy in her office and it’s very clear that bastard wants what’s mine.? His stomach roiled and raged. Anger boiled in his veins as an image of Val’s new co-worker and boss, the werewolf Alexander Hughes rose in his mind. The bastard had made it clear that he wanted Val and would play dirty to get her. ?That son of bitch,? he growled. ?He’s scheduled a week long business trip to Italy with Val. She loves Italy. How the hell can I compete with that? I don’t have time to go to Italy. No one in the garage is responsible enough to be left in charge. Why the fuck did I hire so many morons?? Dale rested his head on his forearm and groaned. If Pietro could see him now he would be kicking his ass. With a heavy sigh he threw back the rest of his drink and looked up at Cody. ?Look, you love her. That should be enough. Show her you still care. Fights come and go but love?? Cody shook his head. Dale nodded and slid off the bar, throwing down a few dollars and a tip. ?Thanks, man. Um, question. Why the hell did you give me a Chocolate Snake Bites? That’s not my usual.? Cody shrugged and then a smile curled his lips. ?Thought you’d get my humor, you are after all a Snake shifter demon and your bite well, I’ve heard things.? http://www.aspenmountainpress.com/chocolate-snake-bite/prod_315.html

Blurb:
All Nia Reynolds has known is being seen and not heard. Being the only one in her family to not have magical ability is hard. On her thirtieth birthday, all Nia wants is to do something different. When she enters Sensual Were on a dare from Jacinda, she doesn’t expect the instant attraction to sexy store manager Bishop Steward.

Bishop has had his eye on the sweet and innocent Nia since he first came to Strange Hollow. After being publicly shunned by his pack and his mate, he came to Strange Hollow to recuperate and be among outcasts like himself. Now that his heart is mended, he wants to go after love again and has Nia in his sights. This wallflower doesn?t stand a chance against his onslaught. So what if he insists of public displays of a sexual nature, can?t stop whispering sweet, dirty nothings in her ear, and gives her a birthday to remember? It?s only for a night, right? A sexy werewolf like him wouldn?t want a shy girl like her? Right? Wrong–and he’s got a lot of tricks up his sleeve to convince her she?s just what he wants.

Buy Link:
http://www.liquidsilverbooks.com/books/seducingawallflower.htm

Excerpt:
Thirty. The big three-O. Another year older. Nia sighed heavily and contemplated the looming specter just a few days away. Birthdays weren’t a bad thing per se, but when you lived such an unremarkable life, as she had, there wasn’t really much to celebrate. She was an anomaly in her family, the only one lacking magical ability. Nia couldn’t even perform the most basic of spells like warming water or levitating a feather.
Isolation became a constant companion when she mingled in magical circles. Everywhere she turned, her contemporaries were doing extraordinary things. All Nia could do was fade into the background like a wallflower. She got so used to being invisible that she automatically hid in a corner at social functions. She had lived her life in corners and it was starting to wear on her.
She’d broken out of that life nine years ago when she stumbled upon an Internet ad for Strange Hollow. The town was for outcasts and anomalies of the paranormal variety like her–people who just didn’t fit in. So on her twenty-first birthday she packed up as many of her things as she could carry and left in the middle of the night, without even leaving a note to her parents. Now she had a life of her own. Nia owned her own teashop, Pot Luck, had a cottage that she loved and a few friends that accepted her. The one thing that was missing was someone to share her life with.
She sighed heavily, and had just begun to clean the counter when the bells over the door jangled. Nia glanced toward the entrance and smiled. Jacinda, the town’s founder, strolled into the shop. The fairy’s energy sent a soothing wave toward her, and she instantly felt at ease.
“Hello, darling, how’re you doing? I’ll have a green tea latte.” Jacinda sat down on a stool at the counter and leaned forward, mischief sparkling in her eyes.
Nia immediately got to work, hoping Jacinda wouldn’t bring up her upcoming birthday and anniversary. If the events weren’t mentioned, she wouldn’t have to admit she had no plans.
Unfortunately, that wasn’t to be. “So, your birthday and anniversary are on Friday. Doing anything special?”
“Nothing.” Nia stiffened.
“Not even ice cream and cake or a movie marathon of your favorite films? What about a small party with some friends? No? We can’t let this momentous event pass without any acknowledgement. Let me think. What can we do?” Jacinda put her elbows on the countertop and rested her head in her hands.
Nia didn’t want to know what Jacinda was thinking, it could mean trouble. There was a mischievous sparkle in those violet eyes that she didn’t want to read too much into.
“Have you been to Sensual Were?”
Nia wasn’t sure where Jacinda was going but she had an uneasy idea. “No,” she said softly.
A wicked smile curved on Jacinda’s lips. “Idea! I dare you to go to Sensual Were and pick up a sexy toy for yourself. Do something daring for once. Honey, you’ve lived in a corner for far too long, it’s time to drag this wallflower into the light.”
“But–” Nia started.
“Why but?” Jacinda gazed at her in question. “You’ve lived your whole life not interacting with people for fear of the disappointment and rejection your parents and others have handed you. Isn’t it time you lived for you? Come on, Nia, when have you done something for yourself? I’ve seen the way you interact with others. You let them tell you what to do, how to do it. You don’t do what you want to do. What’s there to be afraid of? All I’m suggesting is to check out Sensual Were. Go in there and get something sexy for yourself. You deserve it. Look at you.”
Nia knew what she looked like and she was nothing like the gorgeous Jacinda, with her luminescent skin, violet eyes, long dark hair and curvaceous figure. Last she checked, Nia was plain, with unremarkable dark brown hair, dark brown eyes, milk chocolate skin and an average figure. Her simple clothing did nothing to flatter her body. She also wore glasses, and in her book that screamed nerdy and unsexy. To hide her reaction, she said nothing and finished making Jacinda’s drink.
“Have you ever felt sexy? What makes you feel good about yourself?”
Heat flushed her cheeks as she thought of her fantasies, which usually involved sexy men who were good with their hands and other things and wanted her unabashedly.
“Come on, sweetie, you can tell me. What makes you feel sexy?”
“Well, um, a sexy, gruff voice–”
Jacinda cut her off with a laugh. “No, no, no, babe, not what is sexy but what makes you feel that way.”
The blush encompassed her face, and Nia found herself floundering for a response. “Um, well…”
“Lingerie, perhaps? Or maybe sensual music? How about an erotic story? This is about making you feel desirable and good about yourself. I’m not saying we give you a makeover, you’re beautiful. I’m talking about doing something sexy for you and only you, no guy required.”
Jacinda smiled, and Nia felt unsure. “I’ve never… That is to say, I don’t know…”
“How about this? Friday you go to Sensual Were and poke around, see what you like, explore and find what intrigues you. Then we meet on Saturday for brunch and talk.”
“Talk?” Nia put Jacinda’s latte down before her.
“Yeah, we talk about what you thought of your little trip. Honey, you’ve been here for nine years and you haven’t stepped out and explored this place. Including me, Tanya and Ryana are your only friends here.” Jacinda took a sip of her drink.
Nia became very interested in her shoes.
“Ry is out of town and Tanya is visiting relatives. Neither woman will be back by Saturday, so it’s up to me to coax you out of your shell for your birthday. So, here’s the deal. Barring an emergency, I dare you to go to Sensual Were and pick out something sexy for yourself. Thanks for the latte, hon. I have to go welcome a new resident to Strange Hollow. I’ll see you on Saturday.” Jacinda stood and picked up her cup.
“Bye,” Nia called out as Jacinda left with a backward wave. Once the door closed and quiet settled on the shop, questions and humiliating scenarios swirled around in her head. What if I break something? Her palms began to sweat at the thought of picking up a vibrator and have it start shaking and then shatter in her hands. She’d never been in an adult toy store before. What if it was filled with pictures of naked people? She didn’t like looking at herself naked, much less see anyone else in the buff. Well, except for sexy men. Part of her wanted to take up Jacinda’s dare and go to Sensual Were. On the other side of the coin, she was terrified of the unknown.
I know, I’ll pass by the store and check it out. I won’t go inside. Her heart hammered in her chest. A surge of excitement rushed through her. Yes, I’ll go there tonight and check it out. It can’t be that bad, right? People wouldn’t go there if it was bad. Nia had always been cautious. The most adventurous thing she’d ever done was come to Strange Hollow and open her own teashop. She felt that if she could do those things, then she could handle checking out Sensual Were. She hoped.

http://www.liquidsilverbooks.com/books/seducingawallflower.htm

Blurb:
Arran MacLain is a vampire on a suicide mission, driven to kill his former partner who betrayed him and the Enclave they served. But two things stand in his way: Gabrielle, the human female who holds his heart, and the past that won?t let him go. If only death was enough to cleanse his soul.

Gabrielle Steven?s sister is missing. Her hunt for clues brings her face to face with the one vampire she can?t forget. Their missions combine and thrust them into the heart of evil. Will their passion be enough to overcome the pain from their past, or will their dark desires destroy them both?

Buy Link:
http://www.loose-id.com/Dark-Desires-at-Midnight.aspx

Excerpt:

Arran rolled his Ninja into the parking lot beside Gabrielle?s car and killed the engine. She?d taken the newsflash about Markus and Marguerite pretty much like he?d expected. She?d mumbled an oath of determination right before she?d kicked him out of the car. Gabrielle wasn?t a member of the Enclave in name only. It didn?t matter that she didn?t work patrol. Gabrielle was as much a warrior as any of the males. Life hadn?t dealt her any favors. And she wasn?t one to lie down and let it bulldoze over her. She stood and fought for every inch of ground gained.

He waited for her to get out of the car, then removed his helmet.

?You didn?t need to follow me home,? she said over her shoulder, heading for the front door of her sister?s townhouse. He was surprised when she?d led him here instead of a hotel. The place must have belonged to her sister. He palmed his keys, slid off his bike, and shoved the keys in his pocket.

?I wasn?t going to let you leave alone after the info I just dumped on you,? he said as he came up behind her while she unlocked the door. ?I wanted to make sure you got home safe. And I wanted to be sure you actually went home.?

?Oh my God, you can be such an ass sometimes.? Her back was to him, but Arran could almost hear her eyes roll with that statement. She was right. He was an ass. But while he was here, he would be taking care of hers.

Gabrielle flipped on the lights, and he followed her inside. The heels of her boots clicked on the hardwood floor of the foyer, echoing in the open stairwell of the two-story apartment. She couldn?t have been in town long, but the air in the place already carried her scent. He pulled in another slow, deep breath through his nostrils. His heart rate quickened. Honeysuckle. Arran wanted to smile but repressed the grin. Ironic that such a delicate and sweet fragrance emanated from the hellcat with whom he?d just been reacquainted.

Her keys clinked as she dropped them in a bowl on a table near the staircase. Arran?s gaze devoured her provocative profile. He?d never seen her dressed like she was tonight. Living with five male vampires within the Enclave walls, she usually dressed a bit more conservatively. Not matronly, but definitely not this revealing. A short black leather skirt barely covered the lush curves of her ass, and a shirt that couldn?t have been more than a decked-out bra did its best to contain her full breasts. Shiny black leather boots wrapped her legs, highlighting the toned sweep of her calves. This couldn?t happen again. Arran slowly shook his head. He would end up killing someone if she dressed like this again.

She turned her head to the side, facing him. ?I don?t need a babysitter. I?m more than capable of taking care of myself.? She shifted and faced him head-on. ?You?ve been gone a long time, Arran. Things have changed. I?ve changed.?

?Maybe so. But you?re not taking on that colony alone. I can?t believe Logan let you come here without him.? Gabrielle turned her back, rearranging her purse on the table. Shit. He recognized the body language. ?You didn?t tell him, did you?? Arran closed the distance between them.

?No. I didn?t need him here.? Gabrielle looked up, fierce determination written on her face. ?I can handle this. Alex needed me. And I?m going to be there for her.? She shifted to face him again, leaning her hip against the table. ?I?m smart enough to know if — and when — I need help.?

Arran closed in, crowding her personal space, wanting a reaction. Aching for it, actually. Gabrielle straightened and took one step back but stopped and lifted her chin, refusing to cower and give him the reaction he itched for. She caught on quick.

?You think you have it all handled, lass??

?Yeah, I do.?

?You got it all under control??

The amber color of her irises had grown near molten. He allowed a small smile to pull at the corner of his mouth, loving the way she got all hot and bothered when he pushed her.

?Yes. I do.? The words had barely left her lips when she attacked, one leg coming out to catch the back of his ankle. Caught off guard, he stumbled.

Before he could regain his balance, she had his wrist locked in her grip. Swinging his arm up, she spun underneath, twisted, and wrenched his arm up the middle of his back, then shoved him face-first into the dank-smelling wall.

Well, damn. Not bad. ?You?ve been training,? he mumbled against the Sheetrock.

?A little.? She sounded quite proud of herself. She was good. He?d give her that. But her heavy breathing told him it was all she could do to contain him, and he hadn?t even come close to tapping into his full abilities. She?d caught him by surprise, but she was human, a woman, and no match for a mature vampire. Especially in a multiple attack.

With a burst of speed, Arran pushed back, forcing Gabrielle to release him instead of falling on her rear. He whirled, catching her before she hit the floor. In less than a second, their positions reversed. Except this time, he?d pinned her back against the wall, her hands imprisoned by his, over her head.

The position pushed her full breasts up, almost spilling them from her top. Nice. He lifted his gaze, prepared for a hard glare. If her eyes were molten earlier, they were near boiling now. He couldn?t have stopped the next words that spilled from his lips if he?d tried.

?I win.?

?You ass!? She squirmed and bucked against him like a feral cat. Instead of gaining her freedom, though, each maneuver jammed her tighter into his hold. Her every inhale shoved her breasts into his chest. Heat radiated off her body, threatening to scramble his brain. Before he knew he?d even moved, his lips hovered over hers. What made him stop, God only knew. Maybe it was the way she?d suddenly grown still? Or maybe it was the moment she?d parted her lips, releasing warm, peppermint-scented bursts of air that seduced his mind. So damn enticing. All he had to do was lean in one more inch, and he?d –

Fire shot up his arm. ?Son of a?? Releasing her, he jumped back and flung his gaze to the offending limb. Blood.

A thin line of crimson blossomed along the outside of his bicep. She?d played him. Purposefully distracted him, so she could pull her hand free and reach for a blade that must have been hidden under her skirt and against her thigh. The little minx.

He swiveled his head back in Gabrielle?s direction. Air punched from his lungs. Christ. Blood surged to his cock. The overwhelming urge to stroke the rock-hard length at the sight of her was short-circuiting his brain. Gabrielle stood, one boot in front of the other, palming a short dagger. She was ready to fight.

He was ready to fuck.

Arran rocked from one foot to the other, searching within for the strength not to take what was his. Mentally, he shook his head. No. She?s not yours, asshole. But damn if his cock had the sense to listen.

?I know you weren?t about to kiss me, warrior. Were you?? She raised a delicate brow and tilted her head. ?Because last I heard, my kiss was ?forgettable.??

Ouch. He?d had a feeling if he ever saw her again, that asinine comment would come back to bite him in the ass.

?Give me the blade, Gabrielle.?

?This?? She twirled the dagger, then palmed the hilt and held it up for display. ?You want it?? A devious smile lit her face. With her other hand, she beckoned him with her fingers. ?Come and take it.?

Bad, bad challenge, kitten. A tremor started in his gut and worked its way up, until it was a buzz inside his brain. Every cell in his body wanted to take.

Mark.

Claim.

A gasp of air in his ear was the only indicator that he?d grabbed her. He didn?t remember the trip. Arran lifted her feet from the floor, whirled, and gently laid her on the stairs, pressing his hips, his chest into hers. He had to get his body next to hers. Everywhere. The dagger fell from her hand, rolling and thumping its way down the steps, each tumble a hollow thud.

The loud percussions bypassed the noise inside his head and brought him to a dead halt. He lay with his hips between her legs, his groin pressed to hers. His mouth suspended above her lips. He dropped his gaze to her mouth. God, how he loved the delicate line of her lips, a perfect bow. So full and pink. Her tongue darted out and moistened the lower one. He couldn?t stifle the groan that rolled from the back of his throat.

He dragged his gaze back to her eyes. Passion mixed with doubt and fear stared back at him. ?I?m sorry.? The whispered words tumbled from his heart.

She blinked, then swallowed. ?Why??

?For hurting you.?

Her eyelids shuttered, and her breath hitched. Did she believe him? Was an apology enough for what he?d done? He?d walked away, leaving her to think he?d never wanted her, when the truth was, he wanted her more than his next breath. Sorry sounded so insignificant, compared to how much damage he?d done to her heart.

?Gabrielle.? Long, dark eyelashes lifted. Beautiful, near gold eyes shimmered with unshed tears. Please don?t cry. If only he had the power to bring her tears of joy. Instead of the pain he was so damn good at. He wanted to kiss the hurt away. ?Remind me.?

Her lips parted first in silence before she asked, ?Of what??

Arran released her arms and cupped her face with his palms. He caressed her lips with his gaze before lifting it back to hers. ?What I walked away from.?

Jessica Lee Bio:
Almost every author?s bio states they?ve been writing since they learned to read. It?s what they?ve always wanted to do. Well, my journey wasn?t so straight and narrow. I?ve been a nurse for over twenty years and hold a bachelor?s degree in Science with a major in Biology. So, as you can see, my career path had originally gone in the opposite direction. I didn?t discover my passion for the craft until after I?d had my son and decided to work part-time.

I?ve always loved to read but had never read a paranormal romance. Then one night at work on break, I began reading Karen Marie Moning?s, Spell of the Highlander. I couldn?t believe what I had been missing, and I immediately feel in love with the genre.

I wanted to write like that. To create a story others could find the same excitement in, as I did, when I read my first sensual paranormal romance.

That?s what I hope you find here. A fabulous escape and wonderful adventure that keeps you coming back for more.

Jessica Lee lives in the southeastern USA with her husband and son. She loves writing, and can?t wait for that quiet time each day when her son is in school and she can get lost in another place and world with the fantastical, sexy creatures in her head.

She?s a member of Romance Writers of America, FF&P, Carolina Romance Writers and Passionate Ink.

http://www.jessicaleenovels.com/