Thursday, June 30, 2016

A King and A Pawn by Liv Olteano - Book Blast with Giveaway



Author Name: Liv Olteano

Book Name: A King and a Pawn

Series: Leader Murders

Release Date: June 17, 2016
Blurb:

Bert Cooper’s life used to be great, until his sister turned out to be a traitor. Now Bert feels the whole pack looks on him with doubt and suspicion. To prove his loyalty, he volunteers to be the first ambassador at Fey Court, gathering information to finally solve the Leader Murders and punish those plotting against the Council and community. At least, that was the plan….

When Bert meets Sir William Matthew Sims, Court Interrogator, and one hell of a sexy man, life becomes a balancing act. And when the Fey King is assassinated, things become really messy.
Pack politics, fey politics, treason, suspicions of treason…. Bert has to choose between being ruled by his fears or standing up for what—and who—he believes in. And it might just break his heart.

Pages or Words: 234 pages, 82,000 words

Categories: Contemporary, M/M Romance, Mystery, Parnormal, Romance, Urban Fantasy, Wolf Shifters

Excerpt from A King and a Pawn by Liv Olteano:

“Would you take me in as a trophy, Bert?” he asked, smiling oddly, a sort of indulgent look in his eyes.
I wasn’t going to outsmart him, that was for sure. Luckily I didn’t think I had to.
“I wouldn’t be taking you in at all. You and your kids would simply accompany me. I’m sure you can find something of value to offer me so I’ll be willing to go that way. And then you’d find something of value to offer Weiss and the Council to give you guys, say, political asylum?”
“You’ve thought of everything, haven’t you?”
I shrugged. “I’m sure you did. I don’t think you’re a fool, Will. I’m sure you’re not, in fact. So I’m giving you the courtesy of not treating you as one. A courtesy I hope you’ll give me too.”
“Implying that I have not so far?” he asked, stepping toward me again.
My pulse spiked. “I wasn’t implying that at all.”
We were face-to-face, a step apart at most. My mind stuttered over the few stray thoughts I managed to recognize. It was unusual someone’s presence would affect me this much, this soon. Was he that special? Was our chemistry that special? Or was he using some sort of spell on me? I didn’t think that was beneath him. Magic wasn’t beneath any magic-wielding fey, just like changing into a wolf wasn’t beneath me as werewolf. It was a natural part of who we were. I just wasn’t that used to his natural part, and the very idea made me smile.
“What could I offer you that you’d like to have?” he asked as his breath touched my face with every word he uttered.
“Oh, I could think of several things,” I replied.
He leaned toward me. His lips brushed against mine now when he spoke. “I could think of several things I’d like to offer you as well.”
I gulped. Shit, I couldn’t think with my dick. Not now at least. I so wanted to. It would be so easy to whisper it sweetly: “Fuck my brains out and I’ll be on your side.” But I wasn’t here for shits and giggles, so I couldn’t. There was no reason I couldn’t hope I’d get a fuck out of the situation somewhere down the line. The more time we spent together, the better chance of that happening. That was pretty solid motivation to spin things in a way that would benefit us all in the end. There. I wasn’t doing this for my selfish fuck-greedy self but for the greater good. I was a fucking humanitarian, feyitarian, whateveritarian.
“I’ll only ask for one small thing for myself,” I whispered softly.
He brushed his lips against mine. The touch sent little fiery thrills down my nerve endings, from the skin of my lips right to the pulsing muscle of my heart. I felt his breath hitch at the contact, and the idea it might affect him almost as much as it was affecting me sent a shiver down my spine. We could have been faking it, both of us. This was a negotiation of sorts, and now was the time to bring on our top game. But I felt it in my gut that this connection was real, that it wasn’t bullshit for either one of us. I just knew it in the pit of my stomach. I wondered if he knew it too, as clearly as I did right in that instant.
His scent didn’t assault my senses since he’d been hanging out in my personal space for a while now. My senses were bathed in his scent already. But I could feel the pounding of his heart as I deepened the kiss; I could feel his muscles clench and unwind with sensual tension while my body sang with it. Fuck me sideways, I wanted him right now. I wanted him so bad it almost gutted me. The feel of him languidly moving his tongue against mine made my blood turn into liquid fire, scalding my insides and bringing up my body temperature to heights I didn’t think I’d felt before after just kissing. Everything in my body screamed, This. This is it. This is what you’ve been waiting for, for so fucking long!
“What do you want?” he asked after he pulled back, his forehead leaning against mine.
Fuck, fuck it, fuck! “I want all the information you can get from the Archives on a certain topic.”


Meet the author:

Liv Olteano is a voracious reader, music lover, and coffee addict extraordinaire. And occasional geek. Okay, more than occasional.

She believes stories are the best kind of magic there is. And life would be horrible without magic. Her hobbies include losing herself in the minds and souls of characters, giving up countless nights of sleep to get to know said characters, and trying to introduce them to the world. Sometimes they appreciate her efforts. The process would probably go quicker if they’d bring her a cup of coffee now and then when stopping by. Characters—what can you do, right?

Liv has a penchant for quirky stories and is a reverent lover of diversity. She can be found loitering around the Internet at odd hours and being generally awkward and goofy at all times.


Where to find the author:



Tour Dates & Stops:

30-Jun


1-Jul


Rafflecopter Prize: One winner will receive the first two books of the series!



Relearning The Ropes by DC Juris - Book Blast with Giveaway


Title:  Relearning the Ropes
Author: DC Juris
Publisher:  Torquere Press
Cover Artist: Kristin Norris
Release Date:  7/6/16
Heat Level: 5
Pairing: Male/Male
Length: 10,485 words
Genre: M/M Romance, BDSM, Kink


Synopsis
When his good friend Julius dies unexpectedly, Marcus finds himself saddled with a new submissive–Charlie. But Charlie comes with a history, and a whole host of issues and problems that Marcus has never really dealt with. Marcus knows he loves Charlie, and Charlie loves him, but he'll have to set aside his old theories about BDSM and relearn the ropes, so to speak, if he wants to be the Dom Charlie needs him to be. Previously published by Breathless Press.
Excerpt
Marcus rolled over to stare at the clock. 3:25 AM. A month ago, at precisely that moment, his phone had rung. He'd answered it, expecting it to be the only person who ever called him that late, his friend Julius, but instead it was Julius' lawyer. The man apologized for waking Marcus, but Julius was dead  -- condolences, of course -- and Julius left the care of his sub, Charlie, to Marcus, and could Marcus please go over to Julius' house and fetch Charlie?
At 3:45 AM that morning Marcus went and picked Charlie up, and, for the past month, Charlie slept in the spare bedroom across the hall. Marcus hadn't slept since. Not that he didn't like or want Charlie. He did, on both counts. Loved Charlie, was quite in love with Charlie. But if Marcus had wanted a live-in sub -- which he hadn't, his life was far too busy and complicated, and he was entirely too set in his ways -- he wouldn't have chosen one like Charlie. Charlie was a complex little creature: delicate and high-maintenance. He took everything Marcus knew about how to treat a sub and turned it upside down.
He thought back, remembering how, a little over two years ago, Julius had phoned him in the middle of the night, music blaring in the background so loudly that Marcus could barely hear himself speaking, let alone Julius. Julius had gone down to his favorite club, spotted Charlie, and Marcus had ended up loaning him five hundred thousand dollars to buy the battered and bruised sub out of the sex slave ring he'd been held captive in. Charlie had come such a long way since then, learning to live as a sub instead of a slave, and finding a niche in the working world.  Marcus didn't want to do anything to set him back.
Marcus groaned and flipped over onto his other side, putting the mocking glare of the clock's bright red numbers behind him. Aside from Charlie, Marcus had never dominated a man he'd loved. He had no clue how to reconcile the two. Charlie needed clear boundaries, a clear definition of their relationship, but how was he supposed to define their relationship to Charlie if he couldn't define it to himself? He tried to treat Charlie like any other sub, but the fact of the matter was Charlie wasn't just any other sub. Sold into sexual slavery at fifteen, Charlie had been dragged all across the country before he'd landed in Julius' hands.
Marcus was all business when he served as a Dom at Anton's BDSM playhouse, clinical, almost; for most of the men he played with, that was enough -- the domination, the control. But Charlie, Charlie needed more. The only question, was could he give it? He sighed and squeezed his eyes shut, trying to force himself back to sleep.
Purchase
Meet the Author
Romance author, sci-fi fan club Captain, cosplayer, reigning Queen of Monkeyland, and random menace. Yep, we're talking about DC Juris. She’s a cupcake-making, football-watching, rubber-duck-collecting, drag-show loving, full-of-fabulous-with-a-capital-kinda gal. She's also an ordained minister and an amateur photographer. She lives in Upstate New York with her husband, three dogs, and three cats. When she's not writing, you can find her in her favorite chair watching Star Trek and Supernatural repeats on Netflix, or surfing the web for porn. Er…research. Surfing the web for research. She may speak softly but she lives and loves loudly. Just ask the neighbors. ::wink::
@dcjuris on Instagram and Periscope
Giveaway

Rafflecopter Prize: One winner will be selected to win an eBook copy of Relearning the Ropes.


Wednesday, June 29, 2016

Roar, Growl & Kiss Anthology - Release Day Blitz with Giveaway





Roar, Growl, & Kiss Box Set


A SIZZLING SET OF 10 SEXY SHIFTER STORIES!
From a pack of New York Times, USA Today and Amazon bestselling paranormal authors comes a collection of 10 shifter romances that will leave you howling for more! Grab it today before it’s gone forever!



Walk on the Striped Side by Jessie Lane 
Gage Ivanov is a stupid beast. He let the woman who should be his mate go because she couldn’t be told of his Other identity. Now Elena’s back, but she refuses to give in to his demands for her to be his mate. Does he have his claws in her for good? Or is she just yanking his tail?

Alpha Wolf Rising by Eliza Gayle 
Before she can become Alpha, Sierra must take a wolf mate. However, she’s in love with two men, one of whom is strictly forbidden. When the pack is attacked and a temperamental stranger from the past threatens to send them spiraling apart, she must choose between love and duty.

London Howl by Hildie McQueen 
London Howl International settings, a super hot wolf shifter and off the charts chemistry make this a sizzling read. British celebrity model David Wolfe seems to have everything. However, money and fame cannot take the place of love.  When highly recognizable international model David Wolfe hires Genise Snow to be his fake girlfriend, the last thing she expects is for the relationship with the yummy wolf shifter to become physical. Then there’s his ever-present, possessive manager who makes it no secret, Genise’s presence if very temporary.

Dragon’s Honor by Mina Carter
Misson: Protection duty. No one said anything about black magic or the most powerful magic of all. The call to mate…

Bearly Hanging On by Marina Maddix
It may be against the rules, but when a hot eagle shifter lands at an exclusive resort, one employee really wants to ruffle his feathers. What’s a curvy kitty to do?

Her Shifter Secret by Flora Dare
She’s a witch trying to forget the past. He’s a shifter who never wants to forget. But if they don’t worry about their future…they won’t have one.

Maria & the Angel by Jordan K. Rose 
If pack law requires every wolf to mate and mating an outsider is forbidden, why has fate bound Maria’s heart to an angel?

Mate for a Month by Georgette St. Clair
Spoiled city girl Eileen Pennyroyal will do anything to seal a business deal that will win her father’s approval…but does that include a mating of convenience to a deeply damaged wolf shifter? Can Eileen convince semi-feral Marcus that he’s worth saving, before dark forces from his past come back to claim him for good?

Werewolf Wedding by Lynn Red
 Delilah is barely keeping her head above water. Jake is the reluctant alpha of a secretive pack of werewolves whose brother is gunning to take over the pack. When their worlds collide, will they survive? Or will they end up bait before there can be a werewolf wedding?

Fast & the Furriest by Celia Kyle 
One headline changed weretiger life forever: Ladies, like a tiger’s stripes? Tug his tail and keep him forever! Now Ares has a town of stripe-hunting women looking for a tiger’s tail to pull and… a full moon on the horizon.


Excerpts

Walk on the Striped Side by Jessie Lane 

Much  to  her  horror,  Elena  felt  tiny  pinpricks  in  the  corners  of  her  eyes  as  they  started  to water up. “Why are you doing this, Gage? What do you want from me?”

He studied her a moment, watching her so intently that she felt naked from the inside out. “You.”

“Me?” she squeaked back.

“You,” he answered again with an unwavering gaze.

Trying to bolster her courage  back up, Elena  snapped, “I’ m  not an  item  you pick up  at the store  or  a  whore  to  be  bought  off  the  street.  You  can’ t  just  go  dragging  me  around  where  you want me, snarling ‘ mine’  whenever you feel like! I’ m a human being, Gage; you can’t own me!”

She  expected  the  ornery  tiger  to  get  mad  and  snarl  at  her,  instead  he  did  something  much worse. One side of his lips curled up in smug satisfaction, and the bastard smirked at her. 



“I  may  no  longer  live  in  a  time  period  where  one  person  can  actually  own  another  person, but  make  no  mistake,  love,  I  do  own  you.  Every  little  inch.  Every  breathy  moan  you  give  me when I’ m playing with your pretty pussy. Every hungry kiss you give me when I’ m buried deep inside you. Every beat of that stubborn heart that you swear doesn’t still love me, and every inch of that fierce soul of yours... They all belong to one person. Me.”


Alpha Wolf Rising by Eliza Gayle 

The distant drumbeat vibrated through Sierra’s body until her core pulsed with need. Anticipation for tonight's events had been building all day. Standing naked at the window and staring up at the moonless night sky, she couldn’t believe she was actually going through with the ceremony. Her attempt to leave the pack for a normal life at college not long ago had ended miserably and landed her back home and under the protection of her father.
It had been the ultimate turning point for her. What had once seemed stifling and restrictive had been the very thing that freed her from the inner turmoil that had plagued her since her mother's death. The inner wolf would not be denied and pack rituals were the very thing that kept the animal happy so that their human halves could function cohesively.
“You look stunning.”
The deep baritone voice jerked Sierra from her thoughts. “Marek, you aren’t supposed to be here.” She grabbed her heavy cloak from the bed and slid her arms into the sleeves.
“I can’t help myself, and you know it.” He crossed the room and gathered her in his arms. “I’ve missed you,” he whispered into her ear.
“It hasn’t even been twenty-four hours since we last fucked. How can you miss me already?” She laughed, looking up at him. Damn, he should not look this good right now. Nor feel this comforting wrapped around her. It had been almost a year since she’d taken him as an official lover, and she didn’t think she’d ever tire of seeing him. Dark broody eyes tempted her with a constant look of barely restrained heat and aggressiveness. He called to her alpha wolf—challenged her.
“Have I ever told you how much I love your dirty mouth?” His lips pressed against hers, and heat flared to life between her legs, tightening her nipples.
“Yeah, I know what you like about my mouth, all right.” She bit at his lip, drawing a drop of blood.
A low growl sounded in Marek’s throat, which made her grin against his mouth. If they kept this up, they’d definitely be on the floor going at it before the ceremony. She pushed him away, forcing herself to stop despite the moisture between her legs and the longing in her chest. Her wolf was insatiable.
“We can’t do this now, and you know it. So pull yourself together, wolfie.”
He growled and glared at her. She loved taunting him with the nickname he hated. That was the thing about male wolves. The more annoyed they got, the more aroused they became, and she’d end up shoved against the wall with him pounding inside her. Just how she liked it with Marek.
Now Nolan, he was different. Her other lover had the patience of a saint, and no matter how hard she pushed, he always stayed in control. It drove her wild, and he knew it. Damn, how she loved him. A twinge of guilt settled in her stomach, and she turned back to the window.
“What is it, Sierra?” Marek stepped close, but he didn’t touch. Even he knew they had to settle down.
“I know Nolan understands things have to go this way, yet it hurts my heart to keep him a secret.”
“So then speak up. You’re an alpha. You have the ability to rewrite the rules.”
She turned on Marek. “Damn it, don’t feed me that line of bullshit. You know if my father found out the truth, he’d not make me the pack leader tonight. He'd probably give the pack to one of his idiot male lieutenants just because they have a dick between their legs.”
Marek softened his expression with a small smile. “Maybe you underestimate him. He may be set in his ways, but do you honestly think he doesn’t understand the heat you withstand? The constant sensual hunger that must be satisfied?”
She pushed past him and settled on the chair in the corner. She didn’t want to have this conversation again. It always ended the same. Tonight was special, and she would not walk away again. The pack needed this as much as she did.
“I’ve made my decision,” Sierra began on a sigh. “We will be mated, and Nolan will finally be able to live with us full-time. The time isn't right for confrontation.”
Marek didn’t respond, and she refused to look up in question. He would have to get used to his place at her side in public and the fact that her decisions were final. Eventually, she’d find a way to change the rules against wolves and their human protectors from mating, but not tonight.
Tension grew in the room until her skin itched with it, and the wolf whined inside her head. Now it was her turn to deal with the increasing aggression and her need to prove her dominance over Marek. Yeah right. That would be an interesting fight. He gave as good as he got and always kept her on her toes.
A soft knock sounded at the door.
“Yeah?” The pit in her stomach grew heavier.
“It’s time to go, Sierra. Everyone is gathered outside and your father is waiting.” Her father. He’d reluctantly agreed to the change in leadership of their pack on the shaky agreement that Marek and she mate first. In fact, she suspected he knew the truth and was using tonight as a way to force her hand.
This was the first black moon since she’d returned to the pack, and she’d known when she came home her father would expect this. Her thoughts drifted to the past and the heartache that lay behind her. She firmly closed that door and stood. The past was the past and needed to stay there.
“I’ll be right out.” She offered her hand to Marek. “I guess it’s time for us to go.”
Instead of taking her hand, he grabbed her shoulders and pulled her against his chest, his mouth descending upon hers.
Forceful.
Claiming.
Those were her only clear thoughts as he took possession of her, infusing her with emotions and passion that tasted sweet and sensual.

When he broke the kiss, she stumbled back a step but quickly regained her balance. His gaze captured hers, and she stared into deep blue eyes dark with need. She wanted to get lost in them. But she and Marek had a duty...


London Howl by Hildie McQueen 

"Genise." A husky, deep voice permeated through the clouds of sleep and Genise snuggled closer to the warm body next to hers.

"Mmm?"

His hand slid down her arm and back up leaving a trail of heat. She was instantlyawake. In her sleep, she'd plastered herself against David. Now she was fully aware of what little he wore. Boxers or something of the sort, nothing else.

Too mortified to move, she pretended to be half-asleep and let out a long breath. 

"This is dangerous." David didn't move away, either. Instead, his hand continued its descent to her hip. "Tempting me, Genise?"

She opened  her  eyes  to  find  he  studied  her  face.  "Sorry."  Genise  moved  away and  turned her  face  into  the  pillow.  "I  didn't realize  I'd  moved  over,"  she  mumbled into the fabric.

"You were fast asleep." He turned to face her. "It was nice to wake up with your head on my shoulder."

If only she'd woken up first. She’d fully remember the feel of his body on top of her.  Now  her  plan  to  feel  him  up  while  he  slept  would  have  to  wait  another  day. Damn.

"Come here. Why did you move away?" With rumpled hair and half-closed eyes, he reminded her of the ultimate Prince Charming. Impossible to resist.

She slid closer and he pulled her against him. "That's better now, isn't it?"

"Yes." No need to lie. "Much better."

"Are you ready for the day?" he asked as his hand, once again, skimmed over her skin.  Every  single  molecule  in  her  body  went  on  high  alert  and  Genise  inhaled sharply.

"I'm not sure. A bit nervous." Seriously, did the man plan to hold a conversation right now? Of course, their agreement did not include sex. As a matter of fact, it was very specifically indicated in the contract that she was not to engage in any intimate manner  with  him.  How  they  were  expected  to  sleep  in  the  same  bed  and  not,  was puzzling.

"Although I am used to it, there are times it all still affects me. So I understand." He spoke in the lazy language of someone at ease with the other in bed. How often, she wondered, did he have women hired to do what she did right now?

Did  he  have  an  erection?  Most  men  woke  up  with  one.  Would  he  rebuff  any advances  by  her?  Why  were  they  having  some  sort  of  business  meeting  while  half-naked in bed? He'd asked something and she'd been too absorbed in dirty thoughts to hear. "Oh goodness." 

She'd not meant to speak out loud.

David placed his fingers under her chin and lifted her face. "What?"

"Nothing.  Just  wondering  what  I'm  supposed  to  wear  today," she  lied.  He  was gay. That had to be it. The part of her heart that had loved him from afar for so long broke. Yet, it would certainly explain why he did not try anything.

She    left    her    musings    to    focus    on    his    words.    He'd    continued    the conversation    ..."so  it's  refreshing  to  be  with  someone  that  doesn't  give  a  fig  about designers and such."

The soft, English accent combined with the huskiness of just waking, was oh so sexy.

"David?"

"Yes?"

"Are you gay?"

There was a moment of silence, then a chuckle. "No. I suppose you ask because I'm not trying to have sex with you."


Dragon’s Honor by Mina Carter


Being called into the boss’s office was nothing new for Duke and Baron. Being called in for something other than a bollocking was.  “ 

You sure  she  said  we  weren’t  in  trouble?”    Baron rumbled, the deep  note of  his  dragon evident in his voice as he slouched in the chair next to Duke and glowered at his reflection in the  window  opposite.  Given  the  nature  of  the  agency’  s work  the  PPA  offices  were  open twenty-four-seven, so the window looked out onto the darkness of night.

Duke cast a glance the same  way. Twins whose adoptive parents had decided that noble names would give their kids something to aspire to, they weren’t  identical, not in human form anyway. As humans they looked alike, obviously brothers but that was where it ended. It was only in their  shifted  forms  that  they  were  truly  identical.  Whether  or  not  that  was  the  way with  shadow-dragons,  he  had  no  idea.  Dumped  on  the  steps  of a  hospital  when  they  were days old, they’  d never met their parents, nor indeed any others of their kind. It had only been their adoptive father’ s research that had given them a name for what they were. Seemed that shadow-dragons were as rare as rocking horse shit, so getting more info was a no-go. Story of their lives. “

 Apparently  not. ” Duke shrugged.  “She just said she wanted to talk to us about a job.”  He  reached  up,  caught  his  hair  at  the  nape  of  his  neck  and  snapped  the  band  from  his wrist  around  it  in  a  low  pony-tail.  Unsnapping  a  second  he  held  it  out to  his  brother.  Baron glared at it as if it were a venomous snake. Curling his lip, he took it and caught his own hair back.  Duke  nodded  in  approval  as  he  studied  their  reflections  in  the  window. At least  they looked presentable now. Kind of. “ 

Why?”   He slid a sideways glance at Duke. His brother was way too quiet. Which meant he  was  thinking,  which  never  led  anywhere  good,  or  he  had  done something,  which  also never  led  anywhere  good.  Especially  since  their  last  job  had  been  at  a  house  with  stables. Stables  with  horses.  Horses  which,  as  far  as  Duke  was  concerned,  were  just  steaks  on  legs and  Duke  sure  as  hell  liked  steak.  He  also  hadn’t  bugged  the  shit  out  of  Baron  to  stop  for pizza on the way to the offices, a fact that hadn’t occurred to Baron until just now. “ 

Please tell me you didn’t snack at the Jenkins.” 

Duke  turned  to  look  at  him  and...yes,  there  it  was.  The wide-eyed,  oh-so-innocent  look that was completely believable to everyone but Baron. His breath punched out of his lungs in a hiss just as Iliona’s door opened.

“Keep  shut  and  let  me  do the  talking,”    he  ordered  as  the  slender  form  of  their  boss  was outlined in the door.

Iliona  was  human,  which  meant  small  and  delicate.  Where  the  agency  was  concerned though,  she  had  balls  of  steel  and  would  face  down  even  the  scariest  of  the  paras.  No  one argued,  not  if  they  wanted  a  job. Work  could  be  hard  to  come  by  if  you  were  a  paranormal, especially without the backing of an established pack like the wolves, and old money like the vamps. Hell, even the elves were organized, but dragons? Nada. Those that had to work were relegated  to  niche  jobs  or,  Duke  shuddered,  construction.  He fucking  hated  construction work. The agency had changed all that for them. Within five minutes of walking into the front office  in  desperation,  they’  d  been  hired  and  hadn’t  looked  back.  Just  sideways  and  up, normally while Iliona was shouting at them because Duke had eaten yet another family pet.

This time though, the little human’s face was wreathed in a smile. It looked good on her. Quickly Baron shut down that train of thought. He might be a dragon, and rather hard to kill, but  that  didn’  t  mean  he  was  suicidal.  All  the  guys  working  for  the  agency,  whatever  their species, knew the boss was in a triad with the two gargoyles, Cal and Gran, neither of whom
would hesitate to prove exactly why gargoyles referred to other species as ‘  squishable’  .

“Just in time.”   Iliona stood to one side of the door and waved them forward.“  Come on in, sit down. I’  ve got something I want to run by you.” 

Like naughty schoolboys, the two brothers filed  into the office with Baron, as always,  in the lead. Clocking a stranger in the room, he stopped, and Duke walked smack into the back of him. Absorbing the  impact with a  soft grunt, he cast a swift glance over the guy—suited, booted, and human by the smell of him—then rolled his gaze to Iliona.

“Ahh,  yes.”    She  hurried  forward,  putting  herself  between  the  dragons  and  the  human. Their  dislike  of  strangers,  particularly  human  strangers,  was  well  known.  “This  is  Detective Hammond, he’  s with the local police department. Detective Hammond, can I introduce you to Duke and Baron, two of our best operatives.” 

Baron’s eyebrow rose at her praise. That certainly wasn’t what she’d called them the last time  they’  d  wound  up  in  here,  shuffling  their  feet  like  kids  summoned  to  the  headmaster’  s office. What she’d called them then would’ve made a marine blush.

He turned from glaring at his brother to find the detective on his  feet, hand out to shake. Duke ignored it, taking one of the seats behind them without a word. No surprise there. Duke wasn’t a talker at the best of times. Baron shook the guy’  s hand, offering a small, polite smile he didn’t feel.  Humans and their damn rituals.

 “Pleasure to meet you, Mr...?”   The detective let his words trail off in question.

“No mister. Just Baron.” 

“Not all of our operatives are human, Detective.”   Iliona chimed  in. “And not all of them are comfortable giving their full names if, indeed, they have more than one.” 

“They’d have to have a  surname  if they went through the education  system, or if  you’  re employing  them.”    Confusion  flowed  over  Hammond’  s  features  as  he  did  that  little  trouser hitch  the  experienced  suit-wearer  adopted  to  stop  their  pants  creasing  and  sat  down.  Baron slumped into the chair next to Duke, not caring if his well-worn jeans got creased or not.

 Boss-lady smiled from the other side of the desk, her hands folded over the file in front of her.  The  expression  didn’t  reach  her  eyes,  and  the  scent  rolling  from  her  betrayed  her irritation with the male. Not that he’d be able to pick that up with his dull senses.
 “That would be true,”   she replied. “If we paid them in money.”  Hammond blinked, looking between her and the two brothers. “  No money? What do you pay them with then?” 


“ Cows.”   Baron’s voice rang with relish as he  picked up on the cue. “Live ones for us to roast. They taste better that way.”



Bearly Hanging On by Marina Maddix


 “M’ lady.” Chet opened the passenger side door to his uncle’ s massive brown Caddy and waved her in with a flourish, bending low as she climbed in. Her anxiety burst out of her in a stream of giggles. He gave her a funny look before closing the door and walking the mile and a half around the front of the car.

Climbing in next to her, he asked, “Where to?”

Of course he wouldn’t have any idea where to go, since he only drove between Pearce Forestry and her grandparents’  house. She still didn’t understand why it was such a terrible thing for him to hang out with her. Some weird class thing, no doubt. 

“Well...the tide’s about to change. Go down Seymour Street and take a left,” she instructed.

The destination wasn’t very far but it still took a good twenty minutes of careful maneuvering to get the big boat of a car down the rutted forest service road to the overlook spot. It would be light till nine, or even later, so they should have a good show.

“What is this place?” Chet asked, clunking the gear shift into ‘ park’. 

Crystal hopped out and waved for him to follow, leading him to a rocky outcropping overlooking a narrow channel. Patting the mossy granite next to her, she said, “Come sit by me. This is gonna blow your mind. ”

Chet snuggled up close to her, his purely masculine scent wrapping around her like a tendril of warm smoke. It went straight to her core and wriggled its way to her most sensitive parts. He never failed to get her all hot and bothered, but it became so much more intense since he stopped wearing Polo. A carefully calculated comment about how his own musk was vastly more sensual than the cologne did the trick, and it wasn’t a lie. If she could only smell one thing for the rest of her life, it would be Chet. 


Bacon would be a close second


Her Shifter Secret by Flora Dare


She stood on the beach, the ocean crashing into the sand in front of her. At her feet, Danae created a complicated diagram, loops and swirls, harsh stick lines filled with colored salt and bits of shell. She paused in her work and looked up at the moon that flooded the beach with light. She flicked a match and lit the sage bundle. She traced the sacred pattern with smoke, filling her head with her intention.

Forgetfulness. Freedom from pain. Peace.

The spell complete, she left the still burning sage in the center of the diagram and stepped back. She sat a few feet away, watching the sea slowly rise. The incoming tide took the spell and her last shred of hope slowly into the ocean. The creeping water finally reached the smoldering sage bundle, and extinguished it.

Danae sighed. The sea had her pain now, and all she could do was to wait and pray that Neya, the goddess of the ocean, listened and would grant her what she so desperately needed.

Danae woke up, tossing, the same nightmare echoing in her ears. Blood, flames, screams. There was an emptiness inside of her where the pain of her loss echoed. She pushed the blankets off and got out of bed. She wandered to the window and looked out over the ocean. A storm was rolling in, and she watched the spikes of lightning strike the water, over and over. It suited her mood. She felt wild, like she could smash at the world a thousand times.

The waves grew crazed as the storm got closer to the shore, and the wind echoed her despair as it howled around her house. She could not look away from the water-lashed shore. Transfixed, Danae felt the sizzling power of the storm wrap itself around her. Exultation rose inside her. The sea was answering her plea. She felt it. Something was coming. Flowing through her was the knowledge that her petition would be answered.

The storm ended as abruptly as it began. Danae sagged down into the seat. She was so sure that it was Neya was answering her pleas, but the horrid etched-in-stone memories were still there, still present. She wrapped herself in a soft blanket and wept until she fell asleep.

The sun's rays spiked through her window and the calling of the seagulls woke her. A sour taste of disappointment still lingered in her throat as she staggered to look out the window. Danae still remembered everything. Her grief and her pain were still utterly wrapped around her soul. She stared out the window as a bitter tear rolled down her cheek. She was staring, half blinded by tears when a large lump rolling in the surf caught her eye. It was getting closer and closer to the shore and Danae realized that this was the answer the sea was going to give her. She raced out the door. She had to reach whatever it was before it was too late.

She approached the water and saw red streaks rushing to meet the retreating waves. Danae stared at the sea’s offering for several long heart beats, finally realizing it was a man caught in the ocean’s grasp. He was tumbling in the waves and she dashed forward, soaking herself, but she was able to drag him to safety. She collapsed next to him, praying she’d been fast enough to save him. She couldn't bear another dead face trapped in her mind. 

Danae reached over and touched his back. He was still warm so she rolled him over. He coughed, spitting up water, and moaned something she didn’t catch. He was too big for her to move any further and she was paralyzed with indecision. Should I go for help? Would anyone help me even if they could get here fast enough? She grasped his neck, feeling for his pulse. She went weak with relief when it beat strong beneath her hand. 

She looked the man up and down, and realized with a sigh of relief that his wounds were all superficial. Danae shifted to stand, planning on running to the cottage to grab a blanket, but he moved fast and seized her hand. She froze as he opened his eyes and his shocking green eyes locked with hers. His eyes were all the colors of the sea, shifting and hypnotizing.


She leaned forward, transfixed, pulled in by the waves in his eyes. Danae was shocked away from him when his other hand reached out and grazed her check. An unexpected jolt of passion rolled through her. It had been so long, she almost didn't recognize the feelings flooding her body. Danae jerked away and broke free from his grasp.  I don’t want those feelings, I don’t deserve them. She rolled back on her heels, further away from the man. He slowly sat up, his eyes never leaving her face.




Maria & the Angel by Jordan K. Rose 


It was slightly intimidating to stand beside a man so beautiful. As a woman Maria couldn’t help but compare. Were her eyelashes as long and thick as Dante’s? Was her skin as flawless? Was her hair as soft? Did she smell as good?

The answer, of course, was no. She was a werewolf. By design she had shorter eyelashes and tougher skin, thicker, more durable hair, and her smell, well, she smelled like a werewolf. She was clean, of course, and smelled fine to humans and wolves. But other Others commented on the “wolf smell.”
She was no fool. Dante could smell her just as much as any Other, probably better than anyone. That sort of concern could make even the most confident woman a little nutty.

Pluses and minuses existed in every being, thus they impacted every relationship. Personality traits, as well as the specifics of each species could certainly complicate matters.

There were plenty of elements of Dante she could not ignore. For instance, his eyes were Otherworldly. Heavenly, even. In all her lifetimes she’d never seen any like them.

Maximilian, the owner of Seductions, had Caribbean blue eyes that made everyone look twice. Lovely eyes. She enjoyed looking at him as much as any woman, but she did not envy the vampire.
Dante’s eyes literally held the view of all the world, all of the past and the future. He’d seen everything for eons. They were the color of perfectly polished jade and held flecks of darker green, black, and gold, giving more depth to his eyes than humanly possible.

Whenever she met his gaze, she felt the pull of centuries. The hypnotic lure was nearly impossible to resist.

Unfathomable beauty and grace dwelled within those eyes. Years ago she stopped trying to understand. Instead she learned to think past the angel factor and think of him as a man.

It was what he wanted, how he advised her to consider him. And so she did. 

She sighed as Dante’s hand made the slow descent down the curves of her body, lingering over the swell of her breast, and continuing down to her thigh. He may have been an angel, but he was still a man.


He nestled his chin against her neck, and the gentle puff of his breath breezed over her skin. “This pleases you.” His deep voice was magical. Loud enough for only her to hear. A whisper into her soul. 


Mate for a Month by Georgette St. Clair


“Thank you for saving my life,” she said to him. “My name is Eileen Pennyroyal.”As soon as she mentioned her last name, she regretted it. A lot of people found it intimidating or off-putting. But not this guy, apparently. He didn’t even react. Was it possible he hadn’t heard of the Pennyroyals? That would be a refreshing change.

“You’re a shifter,” he growled at her.

“Well, obviously.” The eyes and the scent gave it away, of course. Her eyes were a startling shade of gold. He just stood there and stared, his warm breath making puffs of vapor in the chilly morning air. She was disconcerted. He didn’t seem embarrassed about his nudity; he wasn’t making any attempt to hide it.

“Why didn’t you shift?”

“What?” she said, rattled. He was really making her nervous. “Do you need some clothing? I’ve got a sheet in my car – you could wrap yourself in it.” She hadn’t checked in to the hotel yet, so she still had her suitcases in the car. She’d packed

1500 thread-count Egyptian cotton sheets in case the hotel didn’t have any.


“Why would I wrap myself in a sheet?” He was staring at her as if she was crazy, and he was starting to seriously tick her off. First of all, he was the one standing there starkers with his enormous schlong hanging out, and he was looking at her funny? And he wasn’t attempting to flirt with her or charm her at all. Not that she would have gone for it, but still. A girl liked to have the option.


Fast & the Furriest by Celia Kyle 


Ares never thought he’d say the words in his lifetime, but he opened his mouth and out they came. “You can’t eat a human just because he looked at you funny.”

His sister Claire glared at him. “He was gonna pull my tail.”

God save him from paranoid tigers. He closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose as he asked the obvious question. “Were you wearing your tail?”

“No,” she grumbled.

“Then please tell me, by all that is striped and orange, how the hell did you think he could tug your tail if you weren’t wearing it?” Claire winced, and he realized he may have been shouting by the time he finished his question.

But who could blame him? His mother should have killed Claire at birth. Not because anything was wrong with his sister, but mainly because twenty-two years later, she was a real pain in Ares’s ass.
He took a deep breath and tried to find some sort of calm. It hadn’t worked so far, but a man could hope. “Claire, you know how it works, we all do.”

Mating was a three-step process for tigers. Sex without a condom to give their partner a few shifter characteristics and see how their significant other handled those changes. Then a bite made the changes permanent.

Neither was the true tie that would complete a mate bond, though. The most important, the action that once taken could never be reversed, was the tail-tugging. It went soul deep and formed a bond that only death could break. With or without bites, that one act couldn’t be revoked. For a tiger to have their tail pulled, to have that binding forced on them…

Ares’s worst nightmare came to life. They’d been lucky so far, his tigers keeping to their human forms, but the full moon was so close.

Fuck.

“The humans know it too and all because—”

He knew the end of her sentence and cut her off with a slice of his hand through the air.
All because of that human bitch you got cozy with.

The human bitch being Ares’s ex, Zoe. Zoe, the luscious bit of human his tiger still missed. Zoe, with her smile and tinkling laugh. Zoe and… her camera phone and newspaper connections.

Zoe Reynolds: photographer, reporter, and… Ares’s mate. At least, he’d thought so. Now she was merely the weapon of his pride’s destruction.

At the moment, his public relations team was working on spinning the story. They’d been debating revealing the truth versus denying it all, and then… in came his human-craving sister.

“Claire,” he sighed and leaned forward in his chair, forearms resting on the edge of his desk. He was tired, so damned tired, and all he wanted was one moment of peace. “I need you to work with me—”
“And not against me,” his younger sister drawled.

Darcy, the head of his PR team, huffed, drawing his attention  from his sister and reminding him he was actually in the middle of a meeting and not free to argue. “Look, Claire, it’d be a good idea to lay low for a while. Stay close to the house.”

“You’re gonna let them drive us from our land?”

“No,” he drew the word out and prayed for patience. “I’m asking the pride to stay out of the outlying acres while we get a handle on things. You can still go up the mountain, but avoid the forests closest to town. Stay away from the hiking paths and areas open to the public.”

He stared Claire down, letting his strength as alpha flow through the room. Darcy whimpered and looked at the ground, her inner tiger succumbing to his dominance. Now he waited on his sister. She held his gaze, blue eyes blazing with determination fueled by anger. Their father was an alpha, the strongest of the strong, and he’d imbued all of his children with that power. It was part of the reason she managed to hold his stare for as long as she did, but she’d submit.

And… there it was. Claire snatched her attention from him and glared at the wood flooring, tilting her head to the side. She clenched her jaw, muscles standing out, and he knew she had plenty to say about his orders. Well, he had too much shit to do to listen to her rant and rave.

His tiger nudged forward, its curiosity piqued by his show of dominance. It wanted to know what all the fuss was about. Curious cat. “I’m asking you to be smart and save our mother worry, Claire. I’m asking you to stay safe.”

She gritted out, “If she hadn’t—”

“That conversation is done, and the issue is no longer up for discussion.” He wasn’t going to rehash things every damned day.

His tiger finally understood Ares’s frustration and source of anger. It was familiar with his sister’s behavior, and as far as Zoe went… the animal didn’t want to think about her or the mistake they’d nearly made. The whole situation would have been worse had he allowed Zoe to tug his tail, had he joined with her permanently.

The cat understood and accepted the situation, but that didn’t mean it didn’t mourn. With a final flick of its tail, the feline turned its back on Ares’s human consciousness and padded to the far reaches of his mind, content to sleep the day away. It’d been like that from the moment he’d read the article’s headline and byline.

Ladies, like a tiger's stripes? Tug his tail and keep him forever! by Zoe Reynolds
Then there’d been a picture, bright and bold, showing off Ares’s naked body along with several snapshots of his transformation. Oh, there was appropriate blurring here and there, but they’d gotten the point across.

Just like werewolves, bears, and lions, there were weretigers.

Even worse, tug a tiger’s tail and then the two were suddenly mated whether the tiger liked it or not. And trying to part a tiger from their mate could have deadly consequences.

“But, Ares,” Claire whined.

“Claire, if you were any other tiger…”

“You’d have me pinned to the ground already with my scruff between your teeth.”

He made the threat way too often and didn’t follow through often enough. Or ever. Dammit. “So help me, I will send you to Arizona. Just see if I don’t.”

That had her gasping, and her gaze clashed with his once more. “You’d…” she stuttered. “You’d send me to the desert?”

“Yes.”

“They don’t even have trees there!”

“I’m sure they have a few,” he assured her.

“And no marshes. Or swamps! Or caves!”

Ah, the places a tiger liked to play the most. He rose to his feet and placed his palms on the desk, leaning over the smooth surface. He forced the cat to come forward and help a guy out. It grumbled, but did as he asked, shifting his human eyes to tiger yellow. “No. Savannahs.”

“You wouldn’t,” she gasped and clutched her chest.


“I. Would.” Okay, he wouldn’t.






About the Authors



Jessie Lane is a best-selling author of Paranormal and Contemporary Romance, as well as, Upper YA Paranormal Romance/Fantasy. She lives in Kentucky with her two little Rock Chicks in-the-making and her over protective alpha husband that she’s pretty sure is a latent grizzly bear shifter. She has a passionate love for reading and writing naughty romance, cliff hanging suspense, and out-of-this-world characters that demand your attention, or threaten to slap you around until you do pay attention to them. She’s also a proud member of the Romance Writer’s of America (RWA).


Find Jessica at
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Eliza Gayle is the New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author of over 30 paranormal and contemporary romance books. She lives on a small island in the Pacific Northwest and spends her days writing romance, wandering the beach or dealing with the demands of her kitty who insists on constant attention when she's not in hiding.  Before her writing career began, she served in the Marine Corps and lived a crazy life of adventure. Then she read her first erotic romance novel and everything changed. So after years of thinking about writing she finally grabbed her laptop and wrote.  To sign up for Eliza's FREE newsletter go to: http://eepurl.com/dYvij 

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Bestselling  author HM  McQueen  loves  entering  unusual  situations  and getting  into  interesting  adventures,  which  is  what  her  characters  do  as well.  She   writes   paranormal   because   what   can   be   more   titillating   then immortal warriors and shifters?  Most days she can be found in her pajamas hiding from deliverymen while drinking  tea  from  her  David  Gandy  coffee  mug.  In  the  afternoons  she browses the Internet for semi-nude men to post on Facebook. HM  resides  in  beautiful  small  town  Georgia  with  her  super-hero  husband Kurt, an unruly boy Chihuahua and a spoiled rotten girl Chiweenie named Lola.


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Mina Carter was born and raised in the East Farthing of Middle Earth (otherwise known as the Midlands, England) and spent her childhood learning all the sorts of things generally required of a professional adventurer. Able to ride, box, shoot, make and read maps, make chainmail and use a broadsword (with varying degrees of efficiency) she was disgusted to find that adventuring is not considered a suitable occupation these days. 

So, instead of slaying dragons and hunting vampires and the like, Mina spends her days writing about hot shifters, government conspiracies and vampire lords with more than their fair share of RAWR. Turns out wanna-be adventurers have quite the turn of imagination after all… 

(But she keeps that sword sharp, just in case the writing career is just a dream and she really *is* an adventurer.) 

The boring part: A full time author and cover artist, Mina can usually be found hunched over a keyboard or graphics tablet, frantically trying to get the images and words in her head out and onto the screen before they drive her mad. She’s addicted to coffee and would like to be addicted to chocolate, but unfortunately chocolate dislikes her. 

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New York Times & USA Today Bestselling Author Marina Maddix is a romantic at heart, but hates closing the bedroom door on her readers. Her stories are sweet, with just enough spice to make your mother blush. She lives with her husband and cat near the Pacific Ocean, and loves to hear from her fans. 
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Flora Dare lives in Durham, NC in a cute little pink house, with her husband, Scott and their hellion of a puppy, HaliToeses. She writes love, lust and mayhem in almost every flavor, and like The Pirate Movie, she wants a happy ending, every time!

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Jordan K. Rose
Jordan loves vampires. She also loves to laugh. And if you know anything about Jordan, you know her vampires will make you laugh.

A few years back Jordan received a copy of Twilight from her husband as part of her anniversary gift. By the end of that week she’d read the entire series and moved onto Anne Rice’s Vampire Chronicles. Eight weeks and eighteen vampire books later the idea for her first book came to her followed very quickly by Eva Prim.

The Eva Prim Series follows the night-to-night escapades of The Demon Mistress, a vampire with the inexplicable ability to call demons. With both full-length novels and short stories the series has a bit of something for everyone.

Jordan’s other books include Black Magic Rose, book one of The Alliance Series, where the world is set in a hospital run by vampires and werewolves; and The Central City Romance Series, where members of The Vampire Guard one-by-one find love in the ruins of the city.

When she’s not writing about one vampire or another Jordan enjoys spending time with her husband, Ken and their lovable Labradors, Dino and Enzo on the beautiful beaches of New England.

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Hello, I am Georgette St. Clair, writer of hot, sexy romances which star all Alpha heroes, all the time. The road to love may be rocky and fraught with peril, (and humor and scorchtastic sex and healthy heapings of snark) but my shifters will stop at nothing to claim the women they love.A little more about me: I live in Florida. I’m a former newspaper reporter, EMT, internet marketer, cocktail waitress, temp, nurse’s aide (not in chronological order)...Now I’m living my perfect life, spending my days in a fantasy universe where I nudge my smart-mouthed, take-no-guff heroines onto the path that will set them on a collision course with true love.
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Lynn Red doesn’t love anything more than being wrapped up in a hammock with her corgi on her stomach and a pile of her favorite books to read. And by “pile of books” she means “a kindle.”

She loves all sorts of romance, but especially ones that feature big, strong alphas who will stop at nothing to prove themselves to the women who melt their hearts.

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Ex-dance teacher, former accountant and erstwhile collectible doll salesperson, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Celia Kyle now writes paranormal romances for readers who:

1) Like super hunky heroes (they generally get furry)

2) Dig beautiful women (who have a few more curves than the average lady)

3) Love laughing in (and out of) bed.

It goes without saying that there’s always a happily-ever-after for her characters, even if there are a few road bumps along the way.

Today she lives in central Florida and writes full-time with the support of her loving husband and two finicky cats.

Find Celia at 




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