Tess
Jennings' life is in chaos. Not only has her ghost lover, Kipp McGowen, crossed
into the Netherworld, but she’s the newest member of a secret society. And they
want her to start work immediately. Upon arriving at the Temple in New Orleans,
she is presented with an offer she cannot refuse.
The Grand Master has been murdered and Tess must solve
the crime by locating his ghost. The reward—a magical spell to save Kipp. But as
Tess dives deeper into the case, the more danger surrounds her. Not everyone wants
the murder solved, and she is caught in the crossfire.
Soon, Tess finds herself knee-deep in ancient magical
rituals, a hunt for a spell, a race to locate a killer, and a journey to the
beyond. Will Kipp finally take a living breath, or will Tess take her last?
Stacey Kennedy’s novels are
lighthearted fantasy with heart-squeezing, thigh-clenching romance, and they
even give you a good chuckle every now and again. But within the stories you’ll
also find fast-paced action, life-threatening moments and a big bad villain who
needs to be destroyed. Her urban fantasy/paranormal and erotic romance series
have hit Amazon Kindle and All Romance eBooks bestseller lists.
Stacey welcomes comments from readers. You can find her at
www.staceykennedy.com.
Villains, bad boys or whatever you want to call them we all either love them or hate them either way we all read them. I myself love them because most books would be the same without the bad boys. So, during June the 5th-10th I have some fabulous authors bring you interviews of there bad boys. Please make sure you drop by to see which villain is bad enough for you to add to your TBR pile.
So far here is the line up. Suzanne Rock June 5 Claudy Conn June 6 Sam Cheever June 7 Gabrielle Bisset June 8 Ambrielle Kirk June 9 Bri Clark June 10
Darkness Becomes Her, Book Six of the Offspring Series
Jaime Rush
Avon Books,
June 2012 (ISBN 978-0062018922)
Book Blurb:
Desperately in need of redemption, Lachlan McLeod has a
mission: find the beast who put his brother into a coma. He'll start with
Jessie Bellandre, his brother's girlfriend, who's harboring a dark, dangerous
secret that could get them all killed. But as they fight the battle of their
lives, not falling in love with her will be as hard as staying alive.
The world of the Offspring has been so much fun to create
and work in. When I started the series, I was aiming for something between
romantic suspense and paranormal, nothing too far out there. Creatures like
vamps and werewolves were big, but I wasn't interested in writing those kinds
of heroes/heroines. I was and have always been interested in psychic abilities.
So I twisted in aspects of a couple of secret government projects I'd heard
about and created a group of people who inherit extraordinary abilities from a
parent who was in such a program … a parent who is now dead and cannot answer
the many questions their offspring have. Which made it fun (in the evil way
writers have fun) because they had to find out themselves.
Funnily enough, I knew they had something in their DNA that
made them different but didn't know what. I experienced the mystery right along
with the various couples through the first three books, and then in the fourth
book, it's all revealed. [SPOILER ALERT: if you intend to read the series from
the beginning, skip to next paragraph.] Their parents were given the essence of
a human-like being from a parallel dimension. The idea that there are other
dimensions isn't science fiction: respected physicists believe it. I didn't
want to stray into sci-fi territory by going to that dimension, but I did bring
lots of interesting aspects from that dimension to ours.
And then a funny thing happened: creatures! First Cheveyo,
who totally surprised me by jumping into OUT OF THE DARKNESS and saving the
heroine in the opening scene by becoming a panther. Then I started playing with
the possibilities outside the realm of traditional shapeshifters and found
something called Darkness. It, too, has mysterious origins (though this time I
knew what it was!), and Jessie, the heroine of DARKNESS BECOMES HER, holds it.
She inherited it from her father, and he's not in a place to explain it to her.
What she does know is that when triggered, she morphs into
Darkness and has superhuman strength. It scares her and keeps her from letting
anyone into her life. Her uncle also holds Darkness, but he's got a distinct
advantage: he knows what it is and how to use it in terrifying ways.
When she meets Lachlan under, let's just say, extraordinary circumstances,
he seems the last person who could help her. Not that she wants him involved
anyway. But Lachlan has his own demons, of a personal nature, to slay. And
while he thinks he's lost his own abilities, he has suddenly acquired a very
interesting—and quite uncontrollable—new one. I don't want to spoil that
element either, but I'll say I had so much fun with it that it could have
easily stolen the show. And I got to explore an element that has always
fascinated me but hasn't seemed to do well in romance fiction as a stand-alone
feature.
Here's a sneak peek as Jessie's trying to explain what's in
her:
Mad, bad and
dangerous. Yeah, that about summed up the man who stood across from her. He
wore only black pants, his bare torso long and leanly muscled. His long hair
was tied back, emphasizing his square jaw and arched eyebrows. The trimmed
beard made him look like a pirate or, seeing the sword he'd brandished earlier
leaning against the wall behind him, a primitive Highlander. The movie Braveheart came to mind, all those delicious
men in kilts raging into battle for freedom. That same ferocity and wildness
glowed in his eyes now as they pinned her like that sword.
"Tell me
about Darkness."
Those brown
eyes told her she wasn't going anywhere until she laid out her soul.
"I don't
even know your name.” A hysterical hiccup-laugh escaped her mouth. “It’s not
like we’ve been properly introduced."
"I'm
called Lachlan. Are you some kind of demon? I saw your notebook."
“I’m not this thing.” She held herself,
and the anger at his word you, back.
“I’m a person, like you. It’s something in me. Not me.”
“Semantics. I
saw you and that son of a bitch turn into something inhuman.”
She wanted to
convince him, but that would sound like begging. He’d seen her notebook, her
own personal search for answers. Werewolves, witches, vampires, none fit.
He jabbed his
finger toward her. "That's how you threw me across the room. I thought
something weird had gone on, but it happened so fast, I couldn't tell. I
thought I was mad. Then, back at the
carnival, you turned to a black fog. What the hell are you?"
She heard the
stretch of emotion in his voice. And the accusation. "I don't know. That's
why I've been studying demonology, trying to find something that fits. I'm not
evil. I don't want to go around killing people." Way to sound like you're trying to convince him. “I used it to save
Magnus, after all.”
“And now he’s
some kind of monster.”
She bristled.
"You had a choice.”
"Some
choice, put your Darkness in him to save him or let him die. But now I need to
know, what's in him? Will he turn into smoke, too? Or some bloody wolf thing
that'll eviscerate me the next time we have an argument?"
I'm celebrating the release of DARKNESS BECOMES HER with my
Kick Butt First Line contest. Shocking,
suspenseful…make us want more! Cash
prizes! Contest runs until July 1, 2012. For aspiring authors, it's a chance to
get your name out there and add a "win" to your bio. For readers, it's a chance to play at being a
writer. Even if you're not inclined to
write a line, check out the entries—they're a lot of fun! For details, go to www.JaimeRush.com and
click on the Contest link.
Mia hides behind her computer, designing popular computer
games. And though she knows just what to do to keep men coming back for more on
the other end of the modem, she doesn’t seem to have the same knack in person.
Gavin hides behind numbers. Since his wife left him, the
only thing he cares about is his son and his job. One failed relationship was
enough, but if the right curvaceous woman came into the picture he just might
manipulate the numbers a bit.
Can two meddling sisters enlist Madame Eve to bring Mia and
Gavin together and show them two is always better than one
BLACK DESIRE BLURB:
Blackthorne Clan, 2
Tristan Black of the Blackthorne Clan has known heartache and pain. He is a Dhampyre (half-Vampire) and most would say blessed with extreme longevity. Tristan would say cursed as he observed the long, slow decline and then death of his human wife due to old age while he seemingly aged not a day. Now seventy years later, he meets Katrina Hammond who piques his interest.
Katrina is a romance writer on summer vacation when she meets the mysterious and dangerously sexy Tristan. Katrina now finds herself in the middle of a clash between the Blackthorne Clan and a pack of Thropes (wolf shape-shifters).
Can Tristan protect Katrina, and can he protect his heart?
She awakened feelings in him he thought he would not have again. He considered these passions to be little more than vampiric mythology.
She awakened his...black desire.
BLACK DESIRE EXCERPT:
Katrina Hammond observed the sensual spectacle from her corner booth. Her jaw must be hanging open because she could not believe what she had just seen. The woman had an orgasm in his arms right there on the dance floor. At least that was how it appeared. Obviously, his hand was under her skirt!
She’d watched his every move since he first strode into the place an hour ago. She glanced around, every female focused on him as she was. They gazed at him with a blatant longing and raw, naked lust and after that dirty dance, who could blame them?
Taking a long, languid sip from her glass, she let the German Riesling linger in her mouth before swallowing. The way she all but drooled was shameless. Every other female, regardless of age, was doing the exact same thing. Katrina shifted uncomfortably in the booth. Wow, she was on fire from watching this man. She needed another drink, a drink with lots of ice. Lots.
He stood at the bar.
He was very tall, at least 6’4”, Katrina imagined. The man was slender but there was no mistaking the taut musculature that hugged his frame. Broad shoulders tapered to a perfect, slim waist, not an ounce of fat on this man. He was all lean and wiry with corded muscles. She could observe that fact, as his gold silk shirt was unbuttoned halfway down his chest showing rock hard pectorals dusted with curly brown hair. The black jeans were so tight it left nothing to the imagination.
His face was not what one would call classically handsome, but his features were rugged and very appealing. He had a firm, square jaw and prominent, chiseled cheekbones. A long aquiline nose did not mar his looks at all.His nostrils flared as if scenting the air. The action seemed almost feral.
A closely cropped, perfectly shaped dark brown goatee added to the dangerous look and surrounded the most luscious, sensuous lips she had ever seen on a man. His hair was incredibly long, past his shoulders and a deep rich brown. His hair was the color of aged mahogany wood and copper highlights glistened and shined under the pulsating strobe lights. However, what drew her first were his large and expressive eyes. The penetrating steel-gray shade, as far as she could make out under the subdued lighting, resembled storm clouds over a raging sea. The man looked cool and detached and the frosty, snowy morning eyes just punctuated the point. The mahogany haired Adonis downed his drink and put down what looked to be a hundred dollar bill judging from the color on the bar counter, tapped it, nodded and left the pub. Katrina was out of her seat like a shot, and she grabbed the bartender's arm.
"Alright, Greg, who is that man?"
Her cousin, Greg Hammond, was owner of the Rusty Anchor Pub in the small village of Bennington Bay, Nova Scotia.
"If you'd come over, I could've introduced you. His name is Tristan Black. His family has been here for hundreds of years."
Katrina let go of his arm and sat in the seat Tristan had just vacated. The leather was surprisingly cool. Greg set another glass of white wine in front of her.
"If you come back tomorrow night, he'll be here again I'm sure. I'll introduce you. Though it may be a waste of time seeing you are only here visiting for the summer and Tristan, well, is Tristan."
Greg ran his hand through his short blond hair, turned and left her to wait on another customer. Katrina took a sip of the wine, which tasted crisp and sweet.
She looked around. The woman this Tristan had danced with was still wandering around in a sexual haze. Dear God. Meet him? Oh yes, would be back here tomorrow night. Never had she been so intrigued.
Kayrn is giving away one pdf copy of Black Desire to enter please answer the question below and leave your email if its not on your profile.
QUESTION: LEAVE COMMENT TO WIN: What paranormal-type hero do you like the best?
Maisie had no idea her
best friends could be so kinky. But now, years after the most
intense sexual encounter of her life, she’s about to discover just how
sexually flexible they can be.
Forced to face Brandon and Tyler,
Maisie comes up against something she doesn’t expect: the intensity of
her own desires for things best left in the past. But once Brandon’s
confessed to her just how persuasive Tyler can be when it comes to kinky
encounters, Maisie finds that some things can never be buried. She
wants them both, and she’s no longer afraid to admit it…
When a plane crashes fifty years in the future the survivors learn: 1. Nuclear war has destroyed the technology they knew. 2. Plagues have reduced the female population to a precious few and a woman is worth her weight in gold. 3. Werewolves are more than mere myth, and they want mates.
Growing up, I was a fairly late bloomer where romance was concerned. I
loved reading but I read mostly suspense and horror—Dean Koontz, Stephen King,
etc. I quickly knew I didn’t like books where there wasn’t a satisfying ending.
My first accidental romance was Tami Hoag’s Cry Wolf. I still remember
the day I got it. I was in Coles and was looking at books to get, my arms full
of like five or so. My mom was helping me look and she picked out a book with a
black and white cover, I guess thinking the title was interesting. Her words
were something like, ‘This is about a serial killer. How about this?’. I
paraphrase because I’m not entirely sure but it was something along those
lines. I’d been reading more thrillers by that point. I decided to try the book
out and it definitely wasn’t what I was expecting.
It was…quite shocking! There was kissing and…ahem…sex.
You have to realize, to this point, I had never read a book with
intimate scenes before, but the moment I read that book I knew I wasn’t going
back to a bleak world of no emotion in books. Yes, for years, I did mostly read
only the romantic suspense kind, but I was hooked. Here was a genre I could get
behind. One where a happily ever after was guaranteed. Not just that, but
character-driven stories. It wasn’t just the warm fluttery feelings of the
romance on page, it was the connection the reader got with the characters
themselves. With romance books, you get to know more than a character’s
motivations. You know their fears and dreams intimately. It’s like suddenly
they’re your best friend, that one person you know everything about.
There’s a coziness there that you don’t get with some of the other
genres.
What was your first romance book? Do you remember? What do you like
about it?
Leave a comment for a chance to win a copy of Hunting the Shadows.
Hunting the Shadows Amy has spent her life in isolation. Locked away in the
Centre, a secret government facility where children with extraordinary
abilities are raised as highly skilled fighters, she longs for a normal life. A
life where being around people doesn't overload her sensitive telepathic mind.
A life where she can't see through the eyes of a murderer as he hunts down his
next victim... J.C. Nikolaiev was a top researcher, but when his conscience
got the better of him, he tried to destroy his work and free his subjects—and
was imprisoned as a traitor. To save himself and prevent more people from
dying, J.C. must catch the serial killer stalking the halls of the facility.
But his only leads come from a woman whose thoughts have invaded his mind... Finally out of the psych ward, Amy joins forces with J.C.
to find the killer before he closes in on them. Can their growing attraction
withstand the truths they uncover? You can purchase Hunting the Shadows through the Carina Press, Amazon,
or Barnes
and Noble. Alexia
Reed is a dark paranormal romantic suspense author. You can find her
on Goodreads,
Twitter, and Facebook.
In a series of unfortunate events I have had to add a new blog Facebook page. I am sorry but if you want to keep following the blog by Facebook please go like the new page and hit like because I will be deleting the old likes page very soon. Bitten by paranormal romance facebook
Also, to all of my friends on my personal Facebook account If you can find me its because I have a new account there also, so click here to find it. This mishap was totally my fault although I still cant figure out what I did to mess everything up.
Ten years have passed since Sophis and Vivek, two vampires of the Venia bloodline, came close to death at the hands of twin hunters Aleksis and Izabella Romanov. The events of that night turned Sophis and Vivek against each other, shattering their close friendship and driving them apart.
Now, on the eve of a centenary Creator Day masquerade and at a time when things between them are dangerously close to separating them forever, they uncover a small army of vampire hunters in Saint Petersburg, led by their nemeses, Aleksis and Izabella.
With the safety of the rulers of the seven pure vampire bloodlines in their hands and their chance for vengeance hanging in the balance, can Sophis and Vivek face their past and overcome their differences? Will they realise their true feelings for each other before it’s too late or will the hunters finally claim their lives as their deadly plot to destroy the bloodlines unfolds?
Books in the Vampires Realm romance series stand alone and do not need to be read in order to gain maximum enjoyment
Bitten by Paranormal Romance blog post by Cole and Mianna. May 18th, 2012
Thank you so much for having us here today. I had a time choosing which character would get to introduce the Chronicles. Cole and Vincent got into a heated argument over it and James chimed in, stating that in light of the circumstances, he was the only level-headed one and should get the honor. So…
About the Author:
Charlene is an author of paranormal suspenseful tales that sweep you away to other dimensions. She weaves magic, lasting love, and intrigue into multi-layered story lines to immerse you into the lives of her characters.
Introduction to the Chronicles of Shilo Manor
Cherubim added to Cole’s irritation as they stared at him
from the foyer walls. They seemed to
mock his annoyance, their content smiles and chubby cheeks frozen in white
marble. And how could the sculptor have
the gall to add a permanent sparkle in those eyes? He scowled at the statuettes and beat his
heals on the hardwood floors with deliberate cadence. His stride echoed through the heights. If the cascading chandelier would have quaked
from the disturbance, the action would have made up for the wretched countenances.
A gentle melody touched him and he paused. Stepping to the parlor entrance, he waved a
finger to nudge it open a notch. It
silently swung and he peeked inside the dim room. A narrow band of light splashed across the wall-sized
bar. The bottles seemed to assess him in
a variety of muted hues, standing proudly on the gold-trimmed shelves. Deep shadows stretched from the nearby
leather chairs and rose as if to try to hide the lower half of the large hearth
on the far wall. Cherry wood braced the
marble mantle, swirls dug into the material like thick claws artfully played
there. The portrait of his father hung above
it and filled the space, leaving only room for the cherubs to peak over the
edges from along the ceiling.
Mianna’s voice preceded her movement. “Hello, my new friends. Charlene has asked me to take a moment and
talk about Cornerstone
Deep.”
A smile touched Cole’s lips and he folded his arms, leaning
against the doorframe.
“I’m very pleased that she has chosen me to introduce you to
my world. Naming the first three books
of the Chronicles of Shilo Manor series after
my dimension is a great honor. Thank
you, Charlene.”
Realizing she practiced her speech for the Bitten by Paranormal Romance
blog, his irritation ebbed. Who better
could Charlene have chosen to perform the task than a daughter of an Arylin
colony of Terra? His argument with
Vincent over the matter now humored him.
And the hot-headed runt had even blown up half the lab in the attempt to
secure the honor. James’s
uncharacteristic anger at the act was evident in the way he whipped his hand to
send the elements back into place.
Mianna’s dark hair flowed past her shoulders in long waves
and gently brushed her back. The eyes
that he could never deny peered up at the portrait as if it held the
audience. Soft bow-tie lips smiled as
she spoke.
“Actually, Cornerstone Deep is the formal name for
Terra. It’s the position we hold in the
spectrum of planes. As you know, a
cornerstone a vital part of any building or structure. In this case, you could think of an arch. It begins and ends with a cornerstone supporting
each base. The meridian cap joins with the
midway sections to make the structure. And
yes, we have dimensions called Meridian
and Midway. Of course, they have their
familiar names, just as we do. Our side
of the spectrum’s arch is called Deep and the other side is called Summit. Hence, Cornerstone Deep.
“As Sentinels, Cole, James, and Vincent keep watch over
Terra. Being from Meridian, they have
special abilities. It’s a gifted plane, where
they’ve advanced to the point of manipulating the elements. We call them wizards—at least those of us who
know of their natures. They’re very
familiar with rebirth, and even though they lose their soul mates to death,
they are able to find them again and continue progressing together.”
A flush heated Cole’s face and he lowered his gaze. Shame hit him as she continued her
speech.
“Well, at least that’s how it should have worked. For some reason, they didn’t believe
reincarnation existed here. So… When I died, four hundred years ago…” She glanced down and her hands dropped to her
side. A sigh breezed past her lips. “Sweet Arylin, Goddess of Love. How do I share this?”
Lifting from his lean, Cole stepped into the spacious
room. His strides whispered on the plush
carpet until he took her in his arms.
She peeked up at him.
“Cole. How am I supposed to let
the readers know how you never expected to find me? I can’t tell them about Lord Dressen’s order…that
you bound my soul.” She turned in his arms
and her dark blue gaze met his. Her
soul’s call washed over him in waves.
Every fiber of his being wished he could change the fact. Had he the power, he’d turn back time and
erase the events that catapulted the Chronicles
of Shilo Manor series into existence.
He cupped her face in his palm and his tone held regret. “I caused you such harm, my love. Such pain.
Your will, your life…” He shook
his head. “I will do anything to correct
my wrong. Anything to get you back.”
“Lord Dressen won’t let that happen. And with the gift you gave him he has the
power to make sure of it.”
The words stung, but resolve burned in his soul. “The Lords of Terra, the Gods of Cornerstone
Deep, nobody is going to stop me.”
Her fists bunched his shirt and the weight of it tugged on
his back. “And I don’t care what’s taken
from me. My soul will always be
strong. That I promise.”
Eternity echoed in his heart and he knew it was true. Nothing could destroy what they had, keep
them apart. Not even an Earth-bound,
sadistic author named Charlene A. Wilson.
“We walk this world among you, beside you, loving you.”
Book one
Cornerstone
Deep - blurb
It's
their nature - long lives and rebirth. They're from another dimension, one
gifted with advance abilities, but they serve in Cornerstone Deep. They're the
Wizards of Shilo Manor.
They
outlive the mortals of this realm by thousands of years, and when it comes to
love the cruel fact is reinforced. Reincarnation doesn't exist on this plane.
They lose their wives to death with no hope of reuniting. Yet they continue to
accept others for whatever time they have together. Save for Cole. His love for
his last wife still burns in his soul four centuries after her death.
When
the service they render to the noblemen of Cornerstone Deep brings him face to
face with Anna, something unexpected happens. In a realm of silent souls,
hers calls to him. He responds with a kiss—one that joined with the spell
of servitude she inhaled, binds her soul.
Breaking
ancient covenants, angering the lords, and bringing the gods' wrath upon him,
Cole tries desperately to undo his wrong and free his love—despite the
determination of the nobleman to keep her.
~ * ~
“My life is a mirage of endless time. But you in this moment engulf
me, rivet my mind, encompass my soul.”
Book two
Cornerstone
Deep Echoes - blurb
Mianna’s
return heals Cole’s soul and he promises to follow her for the rest of his
existence. But the past isn’t what he
believes. The fight for her has only
begun.
Lord
Dressen’s obsession grows as unexpected knowledge is revealed. His search for Mianna has spanned six life
times and he won’t give up now. The
courts stand behind him. Power pulses
through his veins. Determination peeks
and not even Cole Shilo can stop him. He
will win his prize.
Struggling
to stay ahead, Cole’s anger explodes.
Nothing is sacred when it comes to keeping his love—not even covenants
made with gods. But, through all his
efforts, lofty or damned, the truth remains.
Will echoes of another life cause him to fail?
Cole clutched at the crystal vase as he headed down the
hall. Even though logic told him Anna’s true identity would be hidden, he
couldn’t harness his anticipation at the thought of getting to know her.
Instincts revealed a shadow of her personality. And that was enough to start.
The noonday sun’s rays poured through the window and filled
her guestroom with warmth. His heart immediately wrapped around the serene
setting, and he smiled as he set the gathered roses on the table. He glanced at
the bed. It was empty. “Anna?”
He cautiously stepped
to the bathroom and peered inside the open door.
Anna looked up from her seat at the vanity. Her gown
lay at her feet and she held a folded
towel on her lap.
“Are you okay?”
“Where’s Clair?”
Cole glanced to the side. Clair? Recollection lighted
his mind. Dressen’s assigned aide. He returned his gaze and consciously made an
effort to keep his eyes from wandering her unveiled body. “Clair’s not here.”
She looked at the bathing area. “Clair told me not to run a
bath. She’s supposed to help me.”
“I see.” He pulled the curtain to the tub aside. “You can
take a shower. It won’t flood the room. Just don’t stop the drain as for a
bath.”
He turned the faucet on, selecting a comfortable
temperature. “Just—take a shower instead—of a bath.” He cringed at his poorly
executed statement, but his nerves danced at her exposure.
She stood and set the towel on the vanity.
He averted his eyes but his peripheral vision betrayed his
intention. Heat flushed his skin and his muscles tightened. He took a deep
breath. He hadn’t expected this. A sleepy awakening, a presenting of flowers,
mild conversation, but not this.
She gingerly stepped inside and Cole pulled the curtain
behind her. He sighed, closing his eyes. How awkward. His attraction to
her was too strong to begin their acquaintance in the nude. I’d better
leave.
She pulled the curtain aside and blinked back at him.
He threw his gaze at the unexpected action. Sprinkles of
water sparkled on her skin. His flush deepened and his voice cracked. “Is—Is
something wrong?”
“If Clair isn’t here to help me bathe, are you?”
His stomach knotted. “You want me to help you bathe?”
“She said I did it wrong.”
An insecure breath passed his lips as the urge to join her
flew through him. Calm down. Think rationally. He retreated, knowing
this situation would lead to something he would regret. His desire goaded him
and want pulled his gaze down her petite form. Wrong thing to do. Anticipation
pooled in his stomach.
Glancing away, he briefly considered the options. He felt
her attention on him, innocent, unyielding.
Don’t look down. He hesitated then locked his eyes to
view her cherubic face. Again, wrong thing to do. The pull that had
called to him in the alley nearly overpowered him. He took a deep breath,
clenched his teeth then focused on the waterfall above her head. He turned the
lever to lighten the flow and smiled. “Better?”
She turned and her shoulder brushed his chest, dampening his
shirt with the warmth. He swallowed hard at the pulse that flew from her touch
to his core. The weight of his gaze seemed to force him to view her bare back.
The gentle slope of her waist. The roundness of her firm
buttocks.
God, Anna. He wanted to take every part of her.
Regardless of the consequences. Temper this. He’d controlled himself
under more pressing circumstances. He could do this—hold to his
conviction to keep her safe. All he had to do was remember
the possible harm. No joining, and he wouldn’t allow her to complete the spell.
He grimaced at the thought. Mianna handled it fine. But in Anna’s state, he
wondered. What would it do to her if she performed it on a wizard, anyway? She
wouldn’t be prepared for the experience. The shock could be traumatic, even
harmful. He set his mind. It would not come to that.
She turned back to him and it nearly destroyed his
conviction. Her full breasts gleamed with moisture, her nipples taut as the
water splashed over them. She looked at him with question.
He cleared his throat and stepped in, fully clothed.
“Um, Anna?” He couldn’t keep his gaze from following the
water flow down her body. The heady ignition of lust hit him. His heart thumped
against his rib cage. His blood pooled deep in his groin.
He cleared his throat again, and decided to forgo any
conversation. His mind couldn’t make intelligent conversation if he had to. He
reached for the soap. It slid silkily up her arm. He
watched it leave a glistening trail as he led it over her
collar and to her chest. Biting his lips together, he inched the suds down
around the curves of her breasts. “We don’t need to rush
this.” His whisper came before he realized he’d spoken.
She closed her eyes and leaned her head back as her body
relaxed.
Her acceptance fueled his desire and control waned. One
touch. He held his breath and let the sweet lavender soap slip from his
hand. Suds washed away. Gently cupping her breast, he lifted it to torture his
thirst. Take it. His lips parted. Only a taste. A moment to remember.
Only to sedate the craving.
All restraint fled. He pulled her to him. His conscience
offered weak rebuke. Too much. He paid no heed. His hand slipped down
her hip and around to her inner thigh. All the time he’d dreamed of their love,
their hunger for each other, condensed in that moment of need. Holding her
threw him to years long-past. To their love, their union and consummation. He’d
never experienced anything as pure since Mianna, and he instantly became lost
in her. It was intoxicating.
He brushed his lips to meet hers with an eager kiss. Water
cascaded through their hair, drumming a mesmerizing rhythm. Cole leaned her
against the shower wall and lowered his body to brush along hers. Wrong
thing to do! She pressed into his movement.
“Oh, God. I want you.” His heated breath bathed the dip of
her neck. His tongue swirled the water from her skin.
She cried with delectation. Sweet breaths pleaded for more.
Her leg rose to his hip and restraint drowned. Want raged at her offering. I
can stop it before the spell takes effect. I can break the
symbol when it’s formed. I can…
Anna’s hands flew to his back. Fingers and thumbs met. Stop
now! The symbol is formed. His hunger, unquenched, became ravenous. A growl
ripped from his chest.
She took a deep breath.
You must stop it now!
Anna cried, “Unsigh,”
The spell began its charge through him with a surge. In a
fit of forced severing, he pushed himself away and broke the triadic symbol.
“Colhart!”
He shuddered as he braced himself against the ledge of the
tub. He clenched his jaw to repel his intense craving. “God, Anna.” He spoke
through his teeth, his voice barely audible.
He wiped a hand down his face and looked up at her rapturous
countenance. Waves of euphoria echoed from her as she slowly slid to the bottom
of the tub, panting sighs of pleasure.
His senses drowned in the emotions emitted.
Cole grunted to vent his arrest. That was too close.
This couldn’t happen again.
~ * ~
Cole trudged down the hall of the east wing. Trails of water
followed every step and his boots squished with tiny bubbles from the saturated
soles. His black hair hung over his face and clung to his head and neck. He set
an uneasy course to his room.
James trotted down the stairs to the second landing and halted
with a look of disbelief. “Wh—what happened to you?”
Cole released a heavy sigh. “Dear, God, James. Anna
wanted a bath.”
James seemed to struggle to hold back his chuckle, but it
burst out anyway. “Don’t tell me. You helped her take a shower—in your
clothes.”
He scowled. “I knew I’d do more than what I did if I
hadn’t.”
“And,” James crossed his formidable arms, “Did the clothes
help?” His hardly concealed his mirth.
Cole looked to the side. “Barely.”
“You know, there’s nothing wrong with being with her. But
I’d be careful with her performing Mianna’s spell. In her condition, use of it
on a wizard could be too much for her.”
“My thoughts exactly. But, do you realize how much control
it took to stop it when it got to that point? Even with,” he held out his wet
arms, “this I was lucky to end it when I did.”
James lowered his gaze and pursed his lips. “I see.”
Cole’s demeanor softened. “Besides, I know she’s only
responding to my touch. It’s all instinctive. I want it to be more than that.”
He shook his hands, causing his sleeves to
flap around his arms. “I need a drink.”
“Well, you’re getting the carpet all wet.”
He scoffed. “I’m really worried about the carpet right now.”
With a grin, James fanned his hands. Cole’s saturated wear
snapped into crisp threads as the water evaporated and left him dry.
He smoothed his hair with his hands, combing the strands
with his fingers. “Thanks.”
“You’d better put off that drink. We
have company.” James set his hands at his waist. “It seems Elaina’s sister is here
for a visit.”
Despite his condition, Cole immediately
registered the threat. “What?”
“That’s right. I’ve already sent Elaina
to talk with her in the parlor, and Vincent is pacing the study. I was running you
down to join us. You didn’t answer my call.”
Cole glanced at his watch. Dry now, but
surely soaked from the shower when James tried to contact him.
James turned for the stairs. “And Cole,
she might already know about our nature.”
A glower crossed his face and he
followed his brother.
Upon entering the study, Cole quickly
took his seat. “Eko silyst.”
James flew his hand over the Utopian.
Vincent paced the length of the room
jaw set and fists clinched, sparks crackling along his fingers.
“Sit down, Kid. Don’t lose it.”
~ * ~
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