When the heroes have reputations like these…who needs a villain?
Barrett has lived almost his entire life cast as the monstrous villain, so imagine his surprise when the strangest Fairy God Mother out there calls on him to protect one of her charges. Not being able to control his other half used to be his biggest problem, but with Lynni in the picture, everything has turned upside down.
Lynni has always known that her destiny was grim because she was different than the rest of her people, but she’d decided long ago to try and make a difference in the world—then she meets Dori and is shocked to find out that nothing is as it appears.
Can these two outsiders navigate the draw they have to each other while trying to out run the roles the rest of the world has given them? Dori will do all she can to make sure they get a second chance, and there’s very little that can keep a goth fairy from getting what she wants.
Paranormal romance lovers will want to devour these thirteen novellas featuring alpha male shifters and the women they’re determined to claim. Our handpicked stories are full of heat, passion, and a romance to remember. Fourteen authors, including some of your favorite Evernight bestsellers, are proud to present Alpha Male.
Caroline needs to escape her life and what better way to do that than to visit her little sister in her new home? It’s time for her to come to grips with the fact that things don’t always turn out the way we hope, but at least she doesn’t have to go through it alone. She certainly couldn’t have imagined what would happen once she arrives in the idyllic town or that the reality she knows will be utterly shaken.
Craig took the role as Alpha in Hillard to make a home for himself and when he bumps into a stranger at the bar, his wolf decides that a mate is exactly what the Ranger needs. Unfortunately, things are more complicated with Caroline than he anticipated, but for a mate like her? He’s willing to do whatever it takes to win her over.
From bad boys to the lone rancher, it’s never a dull moment living the single life. That is until you find yourself suddenly married. From love at first sight, friends to lovers, or perfect strangers making a deal, they all end the same with two little words, “I Do.”
Never underestimate the power of love and passion as they explode off the pages and leave everyone longing for more. Join ten amazing authors as they take you on an adventure where just for now becomes suddenly forever.
Featuring stories from: Ava Campbell, Hazel Gower, Debra St James, E.H. Demeter, Gemma Arlington, Jenna Lynn, Katherine Moore, Kenna Shaw Reed, Marina Hanna and Taylor Green!
Fate’s Call brings you fourteen brand new short stories of paranormal romance and urban fantasy in this collection of spell-bounding books featuring Shifters, Vampires, Mermaids, Witches and magical objects.
Answer fate’s call and delve into this amazing collection of short stories featuring tormented heroes, badass heroines and troublesome clothing, written by some of your favorite bestselling authors.
FEATURING STORIES BY: Ava Campbell, April Zyon, Alyson Burr, Aria Peyton, Britt DeLaney, Chasity Nicole, Flora McGowan, Layla Piper, Maia Dylan, Rose Wulf, Sarah Marsh, Stephanie Barr, and Zelda Knight.
Fate’s Call brings you six brand new short stories of paranormal romance and urban fantasy in this collection of spell-bounding books featuring Shifters, Vampires, Demons and Witches.
Answer fate’s call and delve into this amazing collection of short stories featuring tormented heroes, badass mates and troublesome family members, written by some of your favorite bestselling authors.
FEATURING STORIES BY: Aja Foxx, Ciena Foxx, Dani Gray, Jess Buffett, Meg Bawden, and Misha Paige.
Ebook copy of New Hope Valley series by Jess Buffett
Ebook copy of Till My Last Breath by Ava Campbell
Ebook copy of Dirty Secret by Ki Brightly and M.D. Gregory
Reader’s choice of ebook by Aja Foxx, Ciena Foxx, and Gemma Arlington
2nd Prize
$20 Amazon Gift Card
1 month Gift Membership for Audible.com
Signed Paperback by Sarah Marsh
Ebook copy of The Bete series by Stephanie Barr
Ebook copy of The Island Seduction set by Layla Piper
Reader’s choice of ebook by Debra St James and Ki Brightly
3rd Prize
$10 Amazon Gift Card
Signed Paperback by Sarah Marsh
Ebook copy of Foxy Heist by Zelda Knight
Reader’s choice by ebook by Debra St James and MD Gregory
4th Prize
$5 Amazon Gift Card
Signed Paperback by Britt DeLaney
Reader’s choice of ebook by Debra St James and Meg Bawden
5th Prize
$5 Amazon Gift Card
Name a character with Flora McGowan
Reader’s choice of ebook by Chasity Nicole and Aria Peyton
6th Prize
Connemara Candle Package by Alyson Burr
Reader’s choice of ebook by Elena Kincaid
7th Prize
Romantic Necklace from Etsy by Katherine Moore
Reader’s choice ebook by Rose Wulf
8th Prize
Reader’s choice of ebook by Taylor Green, and Dani Gray
AN INTERVIEW WITH AVA CAMPBELL
•The theme of the anthology is based on your inspirational love story. Can you tell us how you meet your husband? What was your meet-cute?
My husband was stationed at Quantico Virginia at the time (He was in the Marine Corp), and my dad was stationed at DC (Coast Guard), I was working at the bank during the day but volunteered at the fire department at night and weekends as an EMT while working on getting my paramedic certification. And he was only a Lance Corporal.
Anyway, I was beyond tired and didn’t feel like going home to cook, so I decided to just stop into Burger King and grab something. I hated eating in my car, so I went in with my book to eat and just enjoy my quiet time. It was only about ten minutes after I sat down, and he walked in. Sure, I noticed him… but didn’t say anything. It wasn’t until he got his food that he walked over and asked if he could sit down and eat with me. From there we talked, and something just clicked.
It was as if I had known him my whole life, that I didn’t feel awkward or weird around him. Plus, he made me laugh. We exchanged phone numbers and the rest is history. Oh, and we met and married in 11 days! Crazy as it sounds, we’ve been together almost 19 years now.
•Writing romance, how much is inspired by your own love story?
What’s funny is that I didn’t get into writing love stories from my story, but from a friend who dared me to write a better story than the one she and I had read. So, I did. And shockingly it was accepted by a publishing house and I grew to love it. I had found my passion and calling.
•Last Christmas, can you take us through those first days?
No one ever expects to get a phone call- but I did. I was home with the boys as I planned on just relaxing while the boys watched a movie. However, I got a call from an odd number who asked me if I was Jordan’s mom. He then informed me there was a car accident and my husband was being airlifted and they were trying to get my daughter out of the car. My heart stopped and I remember not being able to breathe. What does one do when that happens? They both went out to finish Christmas shopping… for me. My husband took our daughter so they could spend time together, but to make sure he didn’t, in his words, mess up.
The bystander stated that they were really bad, and I needed to get to the hospital immediately. However, it is an hour away. Doing my best, I told the older boys to watch the little ones and a small amount of what is going on. I wasn’t able to give any information because I just didn’t have any.
When I got to the hospital, my daughter was getting ready to be moved to another hospital as she was a pediatric trauma, and the hospital they were taken to only did adults. Meanwhile, the doctors came in to tell me, from what they could see, that she had several breaks and would need surgery; however, my husband had internal bleeding and broken bones as well.
When I finally got to see him, he wasn’t completely with it and kept asking about Jordan. I remember trying to explain quickly what was going on and asked what I should do. At this point he was bad, but so was she, and I felt pulled in two. Needing to be with him, but also needing to go to another hospital for her. When the time came, I recall kissing him and telling him to stay strong and make it through, though parts of me knew there was a big chance it would be the last time I would see him alive. It was always a packed we had… follow the kids, no matter what, they come first. So, I left him, my heartbreaking in a way I never knew it could, but staying strong for Jordan as she was already fading in and out.
We arrived at the hospital and things happen so fast, and an hour later I found myself running with the team of doctors and nurses to the OR so they could try and save her leg.
FIVE hours later they were done and we got the full extent of what she was dealing with. Broken Femur, compound fracture of the ankle (right leg). Dislocated toes (left leg). Broken ulna (left arm) broken pelvic ring with broken tail bone and a brain bleed in her frontal lobe. Not to mention the facial burns and cuts and bruises. There really wasn’t a place on her tiny body that want affected.
I received a call midway from my husband’s doctors stating he had made it through surgery. He had a lacerated spleen, broken tail bone, shattered hip joint socket, broken right knee, broken left side clavicle, cracked ribs, and his whole right arm was shattered and that they had to put more hardware in him to get it to look like an arm again. He had a small brain bleed, but more swelling due to impact.
With all those things, I am beyond blessed they are alive. The car was a mess, and I was fielding phone calls, prayers, and doctors telling me what was happening. To be honest, most of it is blurry. John had two massive surgeries before he went to rehab to learn to be able to stand and move to his wheelchair. Jordan had six surgeries herself before her time to rehab, before luck took a turn and they realized the compound fractured bone was dying. The foot had to be removed, so she became a below-the-knee amputee at the age of 15.
•And I understand you have other children? How did you all support each other?
It’s funny how many people say tragedy can either make or break a family. In my case, my kids have always been close, but I could never have expected them to stick together and become men.
I have four other boys- 17, 14, 9, and 5 years old. When the accident happened my eldest was kind of a mess, and the younger ones didn’t know what had happened. They didn’t understand why I was gone. Since it was only 3 days before Christmas Day, my parents took them to their house but found it just wasn’t something everyone could be comfortable with. So, my oldest called me and told me he was taking the boys home. So, for over two months, he cooked, cleaned, and made sure they got to school and had homework done- all the while doing his high school classes and boy scouts once a week.
The four of them stuck together and bonded, though they knew they were missing me, their dad, and their sister- they found the strength to stay together and make me proud of them. I cannot say how much I am blown away by how they grew up.
•It seems the romance author community has really banded together to support you. How did the anthology happen?
Two of my best friends- sisters really, knew what happened when I messaged them the night it all happened. I knew they felt as helpless as I felt. It wasn’t until a few days later when we finally had an outline of the damages of what happened to my family. It was not just a few weeks, but long-term recovery and possibly a lifetime (and at that time she still had her foot). They reached out with an idea on how the author world could help us. Just a post by two people and it blew up and soon over fifty authors, editors, cover artists, and PR’s were wanting to help in some way. It all happened so fast. Jess Buffett and April Zyon started with just an idea, and with the help of our dear friend Tracie Runge, it bloomed to be something so beyond that. Each author who took the time to write and work on this is truly inspiring, and it is the most amazing gift. One that I will be forever grateful for!
•There are a lot of anthologies out there. What makes this one special?
This is a hard one. All stories are special and should be admired by the work that went into them. From editing to formatting, and the exquisite covers, and the time authors take to write the story. However, to answer the question this is special to me as it was started by two women who are my heart sisters, my very best friends. We have known each other for years and love and cry together. When this accident happened, they were there with me, keeping me calm when I felt like I was falling apart. This is a work of heart and love, and I hope others feel that when they read it!
•What difference would raising $10,000 or even $100 do for you, your family and medical expenses?
Honestly, I can’t even begin to properly explain. Prosthetics are not always covered completely with insurance. Plus, my daughter can use this to make her life a little easier. My husband is also a 7th grade math teacher, and currently, he is unable to walk more than a few steps. His right arm has severe nerve damage and will need surgery again to repair it so he may be able to use it once more. Along with that, the expense of driving to physical theory an hour one way, twice a week for one person, and once a week in the opposite direction, then doctors’ checkups which are an hour and a half away. Gas money is always needed. It’s not just the huge initial medical costs that hit, it’s the little things.
Even something as simple as being able to spoil Jordan once in a while with her favorite Starbucks drink (Green tea peach lemonade with sweetener) would make an impact on her mental health. Something just as tenuous as the physical injuries.
From the bottom of my heart, I’d just like to thank everyone involved. Through my darkest time, I have been reminded of the goodness in the world. So thank you!
Just like any other shifter, Julie always imagined meeting her mate and living happily ever after with the charming male of her dreams. Nothing could have prepared her for the shitstorm that was about to become her love life. With her luck though, shouldn’t she have expected it?
Hector has lived his life knowing that he’d become Alpha of Blue Valley one day. Turns out, acting like you always have it together and living it? Well, those are two very different things. He panicked when he first realized that his sister’s best friend was his mate, now he must rise to the occasion in hopes that he can salvage the rest of his life—but no pressure.
Deacon had no idea what fate had in store for him with a new start in Blue Valley, meeting his mate and her ‘plus one’ wasn’t it. These two are so mixed up in the past it seems almost impossible to make things right and move forward. Good thing he’s a professional.
Julie was very proud of herself for waiting until seven the next morning before she climbed the trellis to Heidi’s bedroom window and snuck in just like she’d done a million times since they were children—well, maybe not exactly the same. This time, she had the forethought to listen at the window to make sure all occupants were still sleeping. The last thing she needed was to interrupt her bestie getting ‘serviced’ by her new beaus. But given the fact that the current bane of her existence was most likely sleeping in a room down the hall, she simply couldn’t risk the front door. She had just eased the window shut and turned around to a rather large mound of bodies in Heidi’s double bed, thankfully still covered by a quilt. Her legs were bent, preparing to launch as a devious smile crept over her lips… “Wak—ahh!” She squeaked and jumped back as a low growl split the previous silence and two sets of golden feline eyes popped open in the dim light of dawn. “No, Julie,” Mason growled. “No eggs and no damned bakey! We’re taking back that spare key unless you agree to never come through our door before 8:00 AM again.” “She came in through the window,” Wade muttered before pulling a pillow over his head. “What’s happening?” Heidi groaned before her eyes opened slowly. “Hey, babe, what’s going on? Why do you look like hammered shit?” “No.” Mason placed a huge paw over Heidi’s face, and Julie struggled not to laugh, as her twenty minutes of sleep last night threatened to snap her mind. “You can have a key to our new place if you agree not to barge into our bedroom at ungodly times in the morning.” “Okay … unless it’s an emergency.” She reluctantly agreed with the giant, naked tiger in her best friend’s bed. “Great, now can I please get back to cuddling my mate—” “It’s an emergency!” Her voice bellowed to the ceiling as she interrupted him, causing giggles to erupt from Heidi and curses from the men on each side of her. “You are an emergency.” Mason groaned and followed Wade’s lead to pull a pillow over his head as Heidi tried to climb out from in between the two of them. “Awww, you’re so sweet, thank you.” She knew he hadn’t meant it as a compliment, but she was a wolf and was therefore genetically predisposed to only hear things she wanted to. “Is there a reason you’re using the window instead of the door?” Heidi asked as she pulled on a robe. “Oh Goddess, did Derek get drunk and pass out in his lion form on the porch again?” “No…” Wow, this confession was going to be tougher than she thought it would be. Julie didn’t think Heidi would be mad that Hector was her mate, but there was a very good chance that she was going to be furious that Julie had known all these years and didn’t say a Goddess-damned thing about it to her best friend in the entire world. There was really only one way to deal with this, Julie knew that. So, she’d do what she’d always done when it came to delivering bad news to a lion shifter female—she’d Band-Aid that bitch off quickly and then dive for cover. “I’ve known for the last six years that your asshole brother, Hector, is my mate, but he pretended like it wasn’t happening and he obviously doesn’t want me, so I don’t want him either and last night he lost his mind and said it out loud in front of your brothers and your dad and now I don’t know what’s going to happen!” It all came out in one overly loud, long, run-on sentence and when it was done, Julie covered her face with her hands and waited for the worst. Huh. I wasn’t expecting the worst to be a bunch of heavy breathing… She moved two fingers aside so she could see what was happening, and in case Heidi tried to maul her, she would still only lose one eye. To her surprise, Heidi, as well as both of her mates were just staring at her with their mouths hanging open. The seconds ticked by and Julie watched closely as her friend’s expression moved from shock to realization, then a murderous look clouded over and Julie waited to get yelled at for betraying the one person she loved most in the world. “That … arrogant, selfish, know-it-all, big-haired son of a bitch!” Heidi screamed, her hands clenching as her claws slid from her fingertips. “I’ll kill him!” Now it was Julie’s turn to stand there in shock, but lucky for them all, Heidi’s mates recovered quickly as they both grabbed her before she could yank the bedroom door open and go find her big brother. “So … you don’t hate me?” Julie’s words were quiet, but they stopped Heidi in her tracks like she’d used a bullhorn. “For not telling you all these years?” “Oh, babe.” Heidi pulled her in for a big, lion-sized hug, and for once, Julie didn’t struggle. She just took the comfort her friend offered. “I don’t hate you. I wish you had told me, though. I can’t imagine how awful this must have been, going through it all alone. But don’t worry, we’ll fix it.” Julie sighed. “I don’t need you to fix anything, Heidi. There’s nothing left between me and your brother. He made his choice, and I made peace with that years ago.” Liar. The worst thing that cat-bastard ever did was make me have to lie to my best friend, and now he’s doing it all over again. From the look on Heidi’s face, she suspected Julie wasn’t being honest, but she was thankful Mason interrupted. “Well,” he announced, looking at his phone. “I think the first thing we should do is get both of you out of here and away from that asshole lion. My assistant just texted the house is ready. Let’s go.” “Good plan,” Julie agreed and walked to the exit, ready to get away from the slight scent of Hector that was lingering in the hallway. When the room went silent, she looked behind her. “We’re not climbing out the damned window.” Wade rolled his eyes at her. Tigers. So danged bossy.
Author Info:
Sarah Marsh was born in British Columbia, she’s only recently began her writing career finding it the perfect outlet for taking the edge off a nine to five job. She’s a science fiction and romance junkie and when her imagination started to take the characters she’d read about even further in their adventures she decided to try writing something of her own.
Her biggest weaknesses are animals of any kind … she even loves the ones that wake you up at four in the morning because they can almost see the bottom of their food dish.
When it comes to life in general she’s a big believer that laughter is the best medicine and that there’s no such thing as too much love, which is why she’s such a sucker for a happy ending.
Hope is all Alpha Protector Killian has. Hope for more time with his mate. Hope for a better future in which they can be together freely. When they’re both assigned to the same undercover mission in Spain, Killian seizes the opportunity as a chance to spend more time with Prudence.
Unfortunately, she doesn’t share his point of view, but hope is the last thing he’ll lose.
It’s not greed if it’s for the greater good.
Prudence loves Killian above all else, but her mission in life is to serve the Virtues and keep the balance between good and evil. Being appointed leader of the Spell Casters in the dangerous mission to defeat the Sin Lords is her chance to prove to her superiors that she can be the next High Priestess.
The only problem is resisting Killian.
With years of pent up love and frustration tugging at them, will they be able to avoid succumbing to their forbidden mating? And what will happen when the evil which they were sent to destroy threatens to tear them apart forever?
Almost two years ago, I revisited the city of Barcelona, Spain.
I was getting ready for the release of Max’s Desire, which mainly takes place in Madrid, and was already busy working on Killian and Prudence’s story.
No sooner had I arrived at the city, I knew that’s where my characters would be headed. I could picture the couple walking through the Gothic Quarter, commenting on the street art, the wide spaces, even the elaborate steel lampposts
Then, we visited the Sagrada Familia and everything clicked. From the arches, to the stained glass windows, down to the never ending spires, it all fit perfectly into Killian’s story.
I hope when you read Killian’s Hope you can delight in stepping into their version of Barcelona, as much as I enjoyed writing about it.
Excerpt:
The last rays of sunlight filtered through the stained-glass windows, creating a pattern of dancing colors on the floors and walls. It would have been a spectacle worth watching if she wasn’t so bent on seeing Killian. She was glad they weren’t allowed to be in the same room together, because otherwise, she didn’t know if she would be capable of not throwing herself into his arms. Prudence reached the appointed room. It was not much larger than the one on the other side of the wall. With an impatient flick of her wrist, she brought the ancient scripts on the walls alive with light. The protection spells glowed brightly for a few seconds then began to fade, remaining dim like the last licking flames of dying firewood. Sitting on the padded stool in front of the window, Pru inhaled deeply. She bit her lip to keep from gasping. Surely, she couldn’t smell him in here. Surely, it was only her mind playing tricks on her, recalling his scent from previous encounters. She dropped her gaze to her hands, staring at her quivering fingers which matched the erratic thumping of her heart. She had to control herself. Recall their true reason for being here.
Killian cleared his throat loudly, shattering her thoughts. There was no point in delaying this any longer. Her pain would not ease so she’d just have to bury it. As she reached for the window’s knob, she swore she heard Killian’s labored exhale, as if he too were releasing something pent-up inside him. Was it possible he also felt the same pain as her? Selfish thoughts tried to surface but she beat them back. It was time to focus. Bracing herself, she slid open the window dividing them and any pretense of focus was nearly lost. Eyes blue like the ocean on a clear morning with dark irises and long blond lashes locked with hers. Her heart danced in her chest and her cheeks heated. Every fiber in her body woke up, alert to the presence of the man she loved.
She dug her fingernails into her knees. Dear Gods, she wanted to touch him. Her gaze dropped to his lips which she could see through the fine mesh. Kiss him. Feel his warm mouth against her, breathing life into her. She looked up again and realized he did the same, taking her in like some kind of starved animal. Tears stung the back of her eyes and she averted her gaze. She had to end this quickly, before their emotions got out of hand. She glanced at the ring on her left hand. Silver with a white stone, it represented the order of Spell Casters. She had to keep her mission in mind.
“Why are you here, Killian?”
Silence stretched between them and she wondered if he had heard her.
“Killian?”
“You can’t keep the sweetness out of my name even when you try.”
Her gaze flew to his and she saw the familiar spark in his eyes. The one which lit her up inside and out and made the corner of her lips twitch. Daredevil. She clasped her hands together, pressing the pad of her thumb against the ring. Remember.
“Why are you here?” she asked drily, proud that at least her voice didn’t tremble.
“You know why.”
“I don’t.”
“You requested me.”
“You have received the documents.”
“And your note.”
“You would have tried to see me and gotten yourself into trouble otherwise.”
“So you decided to make it easier for me by leaving a love-locked message.”
She could hear his grin. He was holding back a chuckle. Damn man. She pursed her lips. If she smiled, she’d be opening a window of opportunity, giving them both hope when there was none.
“Yes. And—” She paused. Here it went. “I just wanted to make it clear that this is strictly business.”
“Yet, you requested me for the mission.”
“What?” she squealed.
“Aslan told me.”
“That’s not how it happened. It has nothing to do with us. I would have requested another but—”
“But, Pru?”
She didn’t reply. Her head pounded as she tried to find a way to get out of the mess she had created. She could almost taste the savory sweetness of hope, stretching between them like an invisible lasso binding them together.
“Killian, you know we can’t be together,” she whispered at length.
“I know, but that’s not what I’m asking. Not today.” His tone was gentle, their roles reversed. One moment, she’d had the upper hand, had been dealing the cards, the next, he’d plucked them out of her hand.
“I simply want to know: why did you request me? Why, Pru?”
About Elyzabeth M. VaLey
Elyzabeth M. VaLey is a writer of sizzling, sexy romance who firmly believes in happy ever after. From paranormal to contemporary, fantasy, or historical, she enjoys exploring her characters’ darker side and writing stories about tortured heroes, strong heroines, and all that comes between them and their love.
When she’s not writing, she can be found walking in the Spanish countryside with her black Lab and Golden Retriever mix, exploring castles, or enjoying some tapas with her friends.
Owen has only one wish left. And this time, he wants to ensure it doesn’t come with nightmare side effects like his first two did. Unfortunately, Cleo, the scornful genie granting his desires, isn’t willing help. With the wish deadline fast approaching, Owen must find a way to gain Cleo’s assistance, or he’ll be stuck forever in a tangle of his own making.
“…Maybe if you’d executed my first two wishes better I wouldn’t be so strung out.” Wrong thing to say. If I could have punched myself, I would have.
Cleo stiffened, eyes wide. And then they narrowed, and I could almost see the millions of ways she was killing me in her mind right now. I braced myself for a barrage of scorn mixed with profanity. If there was one thing I’d learned about Cleo in the past couple of months, it was that she had an extensive vocabulary of swear words. Not only was her range impressive, it was also interestingly exotic. I was well acquainted with it because it’d been directed at me on the frequent occasions I managed to get her to come out of the pill box. I’d thought I’d heard it all at this point in my life, but she proved me wrong. And somehow, whenever she directed her skill at me, I couldn’t help but feel that every term she used was eminently fitting.
“I’m so sorry you’re dissatisfied with your first two wishes, Master,” she drawled in an uncharacteristically chilly tone that made me shiver. “I shall return to my vessel and spend my time reflecting on how to do better with your third wish.” She turned and moved away from the door.
Fuck. The lack of profanity made me panic. I leapt up the stairs in one bound and grabbed her arm in desperation. If she evaporated back into the box, I’d have a hell of a time getting her to come out again. “Cleo, I’m sorry. Don’t go. I’m an asshole, okay? A dick. I’m—I’m every foul word you’ve called me since we met.”
The skin of her arm was soft beneath my fingers, but the biceps was firm. Did she work out? Would a genie even need to, being able to shapeshift and all? There was a small strange golden tattoo on her arm. I watched, fascinated, as it shifted from a crescent moon, to some intricate round design that reminded me of snowflakes, and then into a symbol of some kind. This close, her scent was warm in my nostrils. It was a mix of jasmine, incense, and something spicy that I had yet to identify. The intoxicating medley had visited me in my dreams more than once.
“Take … your hand … off me.”
The words were spoken slowly and in a deadly acid that had me snatching my hand back as though I’d touched a hot exhaust pipe. She glared up at me and twitched her arm as if to dislodge any germs I’d left on her creamy skin.
“Sorry. So sorry,” I said, my words coming out light and breathy as though I might set off a bomb. I took a half step back from her, lifting my hands in front of me in that universal I’m-not-armed gesture. “Please don’t go,” I pleaded. “I really need your help. Please.”
There were less than three days left for me to make my third wish, and I was desperate not to fuck it up. I’d made the first two rather quickly, and they hadn’t turned out exactly as I’d hoped. Well, no, I can’t say that. I’d gotten exactly what I’d wished for. I was now ridiculously wealthy and famous. The problem was that both of those things had come with a lot of problems, like fleeing from people who were trying to kill me for reasons I had yet to determine. And I really didn’t want to spend the rest of my life using my new, magically-granted resources running, hiding, and generally having to look over my shoulder for the rest of my days. Of course, I could always wish to undo the first two wishes. But who in their right mind would do that? I ran a hand through my hair, and pleaded with her with my eyes.
Cleo made a scoffing noise and raked a critical gaze from my black biker boots, over my favorite well-worn jeans and grey t-shirt, and finally to my face, which no doubt looked more haggard than ever from worry and an overgrown five o’clock shadow. “And why should I help you? Out of the goodness of my heart?”
I scrambled to think of something to say, but my mind was blank. I was a mere human. And before she’d come into my life, I was only doing a passable job at being that. There was nothing I could give her that she couldn’t give herself, not even freedom.
“I can’t think of anything,” I said, feeling deflated. “But maybe you can.” It was a shot in the dark, but worth it. There was a faint glimmer in her caramel-colored eyes that signaled I was on the right track. Inspired, I pushed forward, desperate. “Is there something?”
She relaxed her stance, making hope soar within me. Then she dropped her gaze to the floor as if—No. Could it be?—as if she was reluctant to say it. I closed the gap between us again, feeling bolder, but I didn’t touch her. “Tell me,” I urged in a low voice, fascinated. “I want to know. No, I have to know. What I could possibly give you that you would want?”
About the Author:
Jewel Quinlan is a bestselling paranormal and contemporary romance author. Since her debut in late 2013, she has published sixteen stories and has many more to come. Restless by nature, she is an avid traveler and has visited sixteen countries so far. Lover of ice cream, dark beer, and red wine, she tries to stay fit when she’s not typing madly on her computer drafting another romance novel. In her spare time, she likes to do yoga, hike, learn German, and play with her spoiled Chihuahua, Penny.
*WARNING: This title contains explicit sexual scenes, BDSM, and anal sex.
More dragonblood than human, Primrose Cadet yearns to find her fated mates and ease the loneliness of her secluded life. But with her beta behind psychiatric bars and the other denying his beastly nature—and hers—she’ll have to fight for them, even if it means exposing her heritage.
A manipulative voice in his head promising he can fly landed Jaxon Denham in the psych ward. Eighteen and legally allowed to finally leave his parent’s enforced prison, he searches out the golden goddess of his dreams, the one the voice within claims will give them the release they crave.
Doctor Patrick Macaire fought his inner darkness for thirty-four years, living a life of self-control and discipline to prove his sanity. When a barely legal boy and seductive siren threaten the foundation of his calm existence, he’s driven to battle the voice inside and remain untouched.
But fate is clever, and Patrick’s relentless mates won’t allow him peace, catching him up in unhuman-like passion that threatens his self-identity. Will he accept he’s an alpha dragonblood born to dominate his mates, or will his human side keep the three from fulfilling their destiny?
The second night I’d stood cloaked outside Lockwood’s eastern wing, the need to be impulsive, something I’d never dealt with before, fought my better judgment. Regardless of my beta’s mental state, I had wanted to sneak into his room and allow him to have his way with me, claim me like my inner dragon longed for.
Luckily, my ancestors had kept informative records in the cavern’s library of my sheltered upbringing, so I understood all the possible sexual positions—and means of giving pain for pleasure—as most alpha blood born were known for. Unfortunately, I had no personal knowledge of such things, and my dragon was determined to undermine my will to wait for his freedom.
My fingers ached from grasping the chain-link fence to keep my human form in place. The energy linking me to the window strengthened and pulled taut as a shadow moved into view. Even with my dragon sight, I couldn’t make out the color of his hair or eyes, but as he turned his head side to side as though seeking out where the energy attaching us came from, I took note of a strong nose and full lips, a square jaw I wanted to lick and nip with my teeth as he thrust into me.
Arousal, hot and wet, rose between my thighs, same as the previous night, and I bit my lips, my dragon’s needy growl rumbling in my chest as my beta locked his gaze on where I stood, cloaked by a dragonblood gift and darkness.
Want.
My human form wanted, too, and I swallowed as my dragon attempted to take over in a burst of golden light I quickly squashed. “Soon,” I promised with a whisper.
Through the tall, barred windows, I realized my beta’s hand moved over his body, the heat in the energy linking us rising. Did he touch himself? He propped his forehead on the window, shoulder hunched as though in pain, and again, I fought the need to shift, tear through the fence and walls to free my beta mate.
His form stiffened, and head tipped back, and the most luscious race of tingles swept through me, settling in my core.
Need.
Lower lip between my teeth, I released one hand from its hold and slid my fingertips down over the front of my leggings where I throbbed. I gasped as the feather touch grazed the hardened nub at the top of my slit, and I rubbed back up over it, my hips bucking on their own as though he thrust into me, burying against my womb.
Heat exploded like a blinding light through the energy between us, capturing my human form and my inner dragon in a euphoric race to the stars. I cried out, unable to keep my lips sealed as wave after wave rippled through my body, pulsing my pussy where his hard length ought to be.
I gasped for breath, my stare on the window as he slowly moved away from sight seconds later. Wetness coated my leggings, the sweet scent of my cum rising to fill my nose.
Please.
My dragon whimpered with the need for more, for our beta’s physical touch, but I tore myself away from the fence and focused on the motel’s room where I would plan my silent, cloaked assault on the mental hospital where one of my mates remained locked inside.
Lynn Burke is a full time mother, voracious gardener, and scribbler of spicy romance stories. A country bumpkin turned Bay Stater, she enjoys her chowdah and Dunkin Donuts when not trying to escape the reality of city life.
*WARNING: This title contains explicit sexual scenes, BDSM, and anal sex.
Dolyn Kemmerly has found his destined mates. Unfortunately, they are more human than dragonblood. While his inner beast longs for them, his male stubbornness insists there are mates more worthy of his royal bloodline.
Due to Ashley O’Connor’s traumatic past, only the painful slap of a Dom’s toys can help her find release. A celibate sub, she’s never ached for a man’s tender touch—until a mysterious stranger follows her into her Master’s club.
When Ashley lifts one of her hard limits, Giovanni DiLoreto, her sex-therapist recommended Dom, is finally allowed to touch the flesh he’s been lusting to caress. Doing so, however, earns him a bloody nose by a hot-as-fuck stranger. Master Vanni has never touched a dick in pleasure, but the sudden desire to dominate the newcomer—while Ashley watches—consumes him.
Dolyn’s ancestors might accept Vanni for the heart of the dragon inside him, but it will take Dolyn’s complete submission to his alpha to help Ashley heal and unlock the destiny awaiting them all.
Cloaking myself and following Ashley into the nondescript door at the end of the hallway came easy. Slipping through what appeared to a main entrance rather than a locker room of sorts she had entered proved a bit more difficult as a receptionist’s desk and bouncer flanked the double doors.
I glanced around the reception area, fully present, yet visually, nothing more than a bend of light to the two in the room with me. Gray walls. Glass desk. Abstract art on the walls and two other doors besides the one Ashley had disappeared through—boring and not giving me a hint of what lay beyond.
I eyed one of the chairs along the wall to my left and considered waiting until Ashley returned.
The double doors opened, however, releasing a flood of sensual delights mere humans wouldn’t catch. Heat, aroused murmuring, and sex. My dragon hummed his delight, but I frowned and raced forward, slipping through the opened door as the patron of whatever the place was bade the receptionist a good evening.
A holding room with another set of double doors that couldn’t muffle or contain the patrons’ arousal. Still nothing more than a flicker in a person’s peripheral vision, I pushed one of the doors open enough to slip through.
I stepped over a threshold leading to a sinner’s delight. Musk, sweetness, and the scent of anxious perspiration swept over me. Humans … dozens of them in all sorts of dress and lack thereof mingled in the huge lounge area. Dim lights. Low music. Leather seating and a bar lay on my left, a dais beyond held a St. Andrew’s Cross with a woman moaning beneath a Dom’s ministrations.
Chains clanked from a man strung to the ceiling directly on my right. Groans rose from two men getting their cocks sucked by kneeling submissives as they lounged by the bar on my left.
My gaze returned to the cross and the woman strapped to it.
How many times had I allowed Elijah to do the same to me? How many times had he forced me to climax before shoving his cock so far up my ass I lost my breath?
My dick swelled in my jeans, but it wasn’t the actions of the Dom that turned me on. It was the thought of being on the receiving end of his flogger—the one receiving the type of pleasure found in pain.
Please.
My dragon’s whimper to play hit me hard, the fact I wanted to be the one submitting rather than dominating even harder. “Alpha,” I muttered aloud, reminding us both of our dominance as a blood born dragon from the royal line.
I’d caught a hint of Ashley’s scent while following her down the hallway into the sex club, but the overwhelming perfumes of human and sex masked her—if she’d even made her way into the lounge area.
My female … found delight in a sex club. I couldn’t have asked for more. Couldn’t have been more pleased—so why didn’t my inner dragon hiss his desire to tie her up? Stripe her ass in the way Elijah had mine countless times? Why did I want to pleasure her with gentleness—loving tenderness?
A fierce frown dented my brow as I licked my lips, hoping for a taste of Ashley’s sweetness in the air.
Cries of ecstasy jerked my head to the left … the lounge’s far corner. A dark-haired man fingered a woman through her climax, her cum slipping around his hand, dripping to the floor.
Her scent slammed into me with a wave, and my dragon growled a rumble deep in my chest to taste. To claim.
My female.
Pale, shapely legs led to her rounded ass the man now caressed, and my need to taste leaped to fierce protectiveness in a single heartbeat.
No longer cloaked, I strode across the room, darkness seizing my mind, my self-control, something that hadn’t happened in over a hundred years.
He’s touching her. Mine.
My dragon hellbent on ripping the man’s arms from his torso, I stalked forward, eating up the distance between us in a matter of seconds, my claws shimmering in and out of sight.
The width of his shoulders came close to mine, but the breadth of his chest didn’t compare. An easy to defeat opponent, my dragon shrieked, clawing at my brain as I pulled all attempts to shift deep inside me where he couldn’t explode into a mass of muscle, sinew, and scales.
I grabbed the man’s shoulder and spun him toward me, my other fist shooting out, connecting with his nose before he had a chance to blink.
Green eyes. Brilliant like spring grass—
My dragon shrieked again as he grabbed hold of my upper arms to keep from falling. Electrical charges raced up through my chest, catching my breath as we stared into each other’s eyes.
Mate.
Dick immediately swollen—leaking at his touch—I hesitated a mere blink, my desire to drop to my knees and worship him shattering all I had hoped for my future.
His punch landed on my side with enough pain my stubbornness rose with a flap of dragon wings, and growling with the need to kill, the need to fuck, goddamn need—I clocked him on the side of the side of the head. He held tight to me, yanking me down as he fell like a bag of bricks, stunned but not knocked out.
I landed on top of him with a groan, my aching dick pressed against his, a wave of desire slamming into me. “Fuck. Me,” I gasped the words, blinking once more.
A cocky grin wobbled his lips, and he shifted his hips beneath me, pressing his own hard-on against mine. “I’m usually the one in charge, but that’s one command I would love to obey.”
His low voice slithered over my skin, waking goosebumps in its path, like a physical caress, and I froze.
Lynn Burke is a full time mother, voracious gardener, and scribbler of spicy romance stories. A country bumpkin turned Bay Stater, she enjoys her chowdah and Dunkin Donuts when not trying to escape the reality of city life.
Ataahua Hemopo needed to find the man who killed her Grandmother. Thanks to a waking dream, she knew exactly where to find him. He’d stolen something precious from her family, and she was determined to get it back. Killing him as revenge was just an added bonus.
Taika Morgan was not a man easily surprised, but he’s stunned when a woman appears out of nowhere on his property, only to press a gun to the back of his head. Not just any woman—his mate. She disappeared into thin air, and he’s determined to find her, and prove that she’s his.
When he finds her, he sets out to prove they’re made for each other, but an evil from her past threatens their new found happiness, and they have to fight just to survive.
**erotic romance, paranormal, shape-shifter
STORY EXCERPT:
“Don’t move.”
Taika Morgan froze at the same instance his gorilla growled a warning within him.
Too fucking late, you dumb hairy bastard. Where the hell were you when a woman managed to sneak up on us on our own damn lands!
His gorilla’s response to that was a grunt, and Taika had no doubt the sound came with a lip curl that showed equal amounts of disdain and contempt for his human side. Gritting his teeth at the surge of power that flowed through him as his beast pushed forward, Taika lifted his hands in the air.
“You’ve got some skill to be able to sneak up on me on my lands, and without the rest of my group tearing you apart,” Taika said in a low voice. “That’s grounds for punishment, and by that I mean a fucking beat down, so you might wanna tell me what the hell you’re doing on my lands before I turn and show you why sneaking up on a man like me was your worst mistake ever.”
“We’ll get to that,” the woman responded with no fear in her voice at all. “First you have a decision to make, and because I have about as much desire to be here as I do the possibility of a full body cavity search the next time I fly through LAX, you had better make it quick.”
Despite his anger at being caught unawares, Taika felt his lip quirk at the woman’s words. “Well, I have never been accused of keeping a woman against her will, sweetness, so let’s hear it.”
The woman moved slightly, just enough that the air around her shifted, and he inhaled her scent for the first time. Everything within him stilled, his gorilla huffing low as everything became confusing and clear at the exact same moment. As a silverback, he was the leader of his group, and had fought for that right on more than one occasion. He was an alpha, a shifter no body every fucked with. He was feared and revered. He never knew he’d felt so untethered to the world until a bond snapped into place within him, holding him steady. The emotion that came with it was so fierce it almost dropped him to his knees, the realization that the woman standing behind him was his. His mate. His.
The confusion that came with that powerful recognition was the fact that the scent was difficult to catch, so weak he might have thought he’d simply crossed paths with his mate, and not that she was currently standing directly behind him. Click. With a weapon apparently, and Taika had a feeling she wasn’t just pointing it at the sky. A suspicion that was confirmed moments later when he felt the hard metal of the barrel press against the back of his head.
“Oh, I’m sorry,” his mate said in a voice that said she was anything but. “Did I interrupt you ignoring me? That is so rude of me. I mean, here I am talking like you might actually be listening to me, and in the middle of my badass rhetoric, you ignore the shit out of me, and I have to press the barrel of my truly beautiful Glock 9mm to the back of your head to make myself heard.”
Taika loved that his mate was a badass. Oh, he was pissed as hell that she was standing there with a weapon in her hand, but not because it was pointed at him. As long as she stayed close to him, he didn’t give a shit if she pointed a goddamn grenade launcher in his direction. No, he was angry because beneath the bravado and the sexy as hell sass flying from his woman’s lips, there was a thread of uncertainty and, if he wasn’t mistaken, fear, in her tone. He was fairly confident it had nothing to do with him though, as surprising as that was. What that did to his gorilla wasn’t surprising at all. He wanted to shift, take control, find whoever or whatever it was that made her scared and rip. Them. To pieces.
“You have my complete attention, sweetness.” Taika heard the anger in his voice, and from the way his woman stilled behind him, she did, too. “You’re scared. Stop it. It’s fucking with my animal, and he’s a monster. You ain’t ever seen anything like him. Just tell me who it is you fear. Give me a name and I promise you, they will never fucking frighten you again.” Or breathe.
“And what makes you think that it’s not you that I fear?” His mate’s tone was more quizzical than anything else.
Taika held his breath as he raised his hands, desperately trying to appear as non-threatening as possible. Not an easy task for a guy who weighed over two-fifty, stood close to six foot six, and had the ability to shift into an eight-hundred-pound silverback. “I’m gonna turn around so we can have this conversation face to face. I’ll try not to scare you, and you try not to blow the back of my head off by mistake.”
Her laughter was something someone could write sonnets about, and had him closing his eyes briefly as pleasure rolled through him. “Trust me. If I blow the back of your head off, it won’t be by mistake.”
I write the kind of books that I love to read. Love stories between strong men and their independent soulmates. Usually, their path to Happily Ever After is a bumpy one, but there is always a Happy Ever After.
In the world’s I create there is someone (or two, or three) for everyone! Love comes in many forms and I believe it is all beautiful and should be celebrated!
I live, love and write in New Zealand, married to my husband of fifteen years with two beautiful children who I truly believe were sent as a blessing, but sometimes to try my patience, and I wouldn’t have it any other way!
Elyzabeth M. VaLey is a writer of sizzling, sexy romance who firmly believes in happy ever after. From paranormal to contemporary, fantasy, or historical, she enjoys exploring her characters’ darker side and writing stories about tortured heroes, strong heroines, and all that comes between them and their love.
Sarah Marsh 