RIDING SHOTGUN by Anne Kane

RIDING SHOTGUN by Anne Kane

Mercenaries 3

She was a genetic experiment that was never supposed to get out of the lab. If the government finds her, they will kill her without hesitation. She's a crack shot, though, and she's used to looking out for herself. Her affinity for all things mechanical helps her make a living on the underground street racing circuit, but it's a dangerous game, and lately things haven't been going so well.

Shotgun falls hard from the first time he meets her, and is determined to make her his own. When accidents keep plaguing Kalie's car, he gets suspicious and with the help of his mercenary buddies he is determined to find the source of the problem and keep his woman safe.

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Excerpt:Riding Shotgun (Mercenaries 3)
Anne Kane
All rights reserved.
Copyright ©2014 Anne Kane

This e-book file contains sexually explicit scenes and adult language which some may find offensive and which is not appropriate for a young audience. Changeling Press E-Books are for sale to adults, only, as defined by the laws of the country in which you made your purchase. Please store your files wisely, where they cannot be accessed by under-aged readers.

A subtle movement on the far ridge caught Shotgun's attention. It could be a deer on the far ridge, but he doubted it. Moving the scope of his rifle in a slow sweep, he searched for the cause. There. On the west slope. A faint flash as the late afternoon sun reflected off a metal surface.

He kept the rifle trained on the spot, his trigger finger itching, and sure enough, there she was. A sharpshooter. Her rifle looked suspiciously similar to his own, and she handled it like a pro. Her mistake had been not making sure all the shiny metal was covered up.

Her outfit blended well with the surrounding rocks and he had to give her credit for finding a good vantage point. She'd managed to position herself in a wide crack in between two large outcrops of rock. Her back was protected by a sheer wall of granite. An irregular jumble of boulders in front of her gave her numerous places to rest the barrel of her rifle.

He recognized her from the portfolio Brice had shown them of the Lost Children. Kalie. Her riotous mop of long dark curls was held back behind a wide hairband, and the camo outfit she wore covered her deliciously ripe curves. He was too far away to see if her eyes really were as dark and sensual as they looked in her picture, but he was sure it was Kalie.

Her undivided attention was on the gathering in the clearing below. That would be her second mistake. Just because you're hunting, doesn't mean you aren't also being hunted. As he glanced around, gauging the distance between them and the amount of cover available, he felt the corner of his mouth lift in a slow grin.

Nothing like a bit of a challenge to liven up the evening.

* * *

The man came out of nowhere. Jerking her rifle out of her hands, he flipped her over and slammed her body into the ground. The breath whooshed out of her in one long exhale as he pinned her to the ground with his superior weight. Instinctively, she tried to bring her knee up to fend him off.

"I don't think that's such a good idea, little girl." His voice was low, a thread of humor running through it as he blocked the move with a casual flick of his leg. He could afford to be amused. He was planted firmly on top of her, and her rifle was no longer snugged comfortingly against her chin. She eyed up the distance to the weapon. Too far.

A fierce anger enveloped her, fueled by an unfamiliar feeling of helplessness. No one snuck up on her like that. No one. Taking a deep breath, she forced her body to relax. She could get out of this. If he thought she'd given up, he'd let his guard down.

"Who are you?" She spat the words out between clenched teeth, betraying her fury. So much for letting him think she'd given up.

"Name's Shotgun, Kalie. I'm with Saralyn down there, and her new beau. Just kind of keeping an eye on the situation when I noticed you over here. I don't like people watching my friends through the scope of a rifle."

"Really?" He knew her name. Shit. He probably knew about the other girls as well. Her sisters. That couldn't be good. She needed to neutralize him quickly and let them know they'd been found out. She shifted her weight, as if trying to get more comfortable. "Well, I don't like people skulking around watching my friends either, so I guess we're even. Would you mind getting off me? You're heavy."

"Not quite yet." He somehow managed to transfer both of her wrists to one hand. Raising his other arm, he spoke into the comm unit strapped around his wrist. "I got some action up here, Sarge. Little girl, with a big gun. Name of Kalie. Says she's watching point for the others. You want to verify that?"

"Should have expected something like this." Sarge's voice crackled over the unit. "I'll have Jackson check with the girls. Bring her on down, and we'll see if her story checks out."

"Roger that. Be down in a few."

Shotgun looked down at her. He was a big man. Big and hard. His face was all hard angles and planes, with a faint scar running down one side of his temple. She could feel hard muscles pressing into every inch of her. There wasn't a single soft spot on his entire body. Was he enhanced? One of the soldiers they'd fed those experimental drugs to during the provincial wars? That would explain how he'd managed to sneak up on her without her hearing him.

As she watched, a mischievous light danced in the depths of his eyes. He certainly didn't seem to think she was much of a threat. Maybe she could use that to her advantage "Looks like we're going to join the party. Up you get." He surged to his feet with an innate grace that told her he'd kept up his training after the wars. Holding out a hand to help her up, he still managed to keep that rifle pointed directly at her.

"Fine. Let's get moving." She ignored the outstretched hand and stood. "Can I have my rifle back now, please?"

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MATING SEASON by Anne Kane

MATING SEASON by Anne Kane

Three Imperial Were-Panthers find their true bond-mates in the most unlikely of places…

When a flitter-craft crash lands near Gregory's lair, the Imperial Were-Panther doesn't expect to find an unconscious female dangling from the captain's harness. Gregory's life is about to get interesting…

Bryony fled her bond-mate after one weekend of incredible sex. Six long years later Tanner found her, and he’s not about to let her out of his sight again.

Caitlin knows how to get in and out of a house without detection, but Kyran's not only caught her red-handed, he also seems to think they have some kind of bond-mate thing going... What’s a girl to do when the mark you’re after turns out to be an Imperial Were-Panther who thinks you’re his mate?

Publisher's Note: Mating Season (Box Set) contains the previously published novellas Imperial Command, Imperial Temptation, and Imperial Haven.

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Mating Season (Box Set)
Anne Kane
All rights reserved.
Copyright ©2014 Anne Kane
Excerpt from Imperial Command

This e-book file contains sexually explicit scenes and adult language which some may find offensive and which is not appropriate for a young audience. Changeling Press E-Books are for sale to adults, only, as defined by the laws of the country in which you made your purchase. Please store your files wisely, where they cannot be accessed by under-aged readers.

Gregory circled the downed ship, his blaster held at the ready. The pilot had managed to drop it neatly into the clearing, but an overhanging branch snagged the starboard stabilizer at the last moment and flipped the ship over just before it hit the ground.

Gregory didn't like the looks of that lazy curl of smoke drifting up from the belly of the machine. The thought of a fire this close to his lair made him nervous. The pilot and passengers needed to get out in case those fuel tanks exploded.

There were no territorial markings on the hull, and the scorch marks on the belly indicated a rough passage through the upper atmosphere. He shook his head. What type of idiot would use a flitter shuttle for interplanetary travel? Thumbing the safety on, he holstered the blaster and studied the ship, looking for a way in. The access port to the left looked like his best bet, and he pushed aside the heavy underbrush to make his way toward it.

Grasping the outer handle, he threw his considerable weight against the access port. Slowly, metal screaming in protest, the door began to slide. The recycled air of the shuttle rushed out of the opening, and the scent it carried hit him square in the gut.

A female Were-Panther. Young and in heat.

Hot blood rushed to his groin, stiffening his cock painfully within the tight material of his suit. Ignoring his discomfort, he wrenched the metal hatch cover aside and peered inside. The ship design was simple, and he could see a female form hanging upside down from the safety netting over the pilot's seat. Experience born of too many covert missions caused him to hesitate a few minutes, probing the dark shadows in the corners to make sure there were no other occupants waiting to ambush him.

A low groan drew his attention back to the female. Climbing onto the sloped metal ceiling, he made his way to the center of the bridge, carefully avoiding the debris strewn about during the crash. The woman's lashes fluttered up, and he caught a glimpse of her gorgeous amber eyes. One arm flailed weakly before she lapsed back into unconsciousness.

Gregory ran his hands over her, ignoring the call of her heat cycle while he checked to make sure she hadn't sustained any serious injuries during the rough landing. When he was satisfied it was safe to move her, he wrapped one arm around to hold her steady while he cut away the safety netting. Another groan escaped her lips, and he shifted her to a more comfortable position in his arms. Her full breasts pressed enticingly against his chest, and he gritted his teeth at his body's eager response.

Where had she come from? He didn't recognize her from any of his recent trips to Capital, the were-panthers community on the far side of the planet. And why had she been flying so low over his territory?

Another groan dragged his attention back to the female. Turning, he made his way back to the airlock, the trip more awkward with the woman's weight on his shoulder. Stepping out of the ruined flitter, he paced across the clearing and laid his burden down gently on a soft patch of undergrowth. Her eyes remained closed, and he couldn't help staring at her body, every inch outlined in mouthwatering detail beneath the tight space suit.

She was short, he'd guess barely up to his shoulder, with a thick mane of dark hair restrained in a single braid that fell to her waist. Her scent identified her as one of his own, an Imperial were-panther, but that led to the question of where she had come from and why she was flying around alone while in heat. Her parents should be keeping her safe from the inevitable pack of males that would hone in on the irresistible aroma. Even now, females weren't numerous and were never found running around the Black Planet in an ill-equipped flitter. He doubted the flitter had been sturdy enough to handle flights through the untamed jungle regions of the planet, let alone interstellar flight.

He snapped a couple of saplings off at ground level and laid them on the ground beside the unconscious woman. Selecting some sturdy vines, he wove them around the poles to build a travois. Primitive, but it would be more comfortable for the female than traveling on his shoulders. She didn't wake when he transferred her to the makeshift sled, and that worried him. Grasping the edges of the poles, he headed for his lair, dragging the woman behind him.

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MOONLIT MAGIC by Anne Kane

SEDUCTION: One Fortune at a Time Box Set 

Seven steamy novellas from seven acclaimed romance authors, guaranteed to bring good fortune (or at least a hot read) to any romance fan. There's a seduction for everyone in this collection of never-before published stories that range from sensual to erotic—all for one seductive price!


Temptation Returns by Lisa Carlisle – Antonio returns from the Marine Corps and runs into the woman he never forgot at a rock club. Lina can't believe Antonio is back in town, right before her wedding. Can she resist temptation in the form of a dark-haired Italian Marine?

Love Charm for Fiona by Carly Carson – When Fiona receives a fortuneteller's love charm, she casts the spell to bring her dead fiancé back to life. But a love charm has its own magic, and what she gets is a surprise in the form of a SEAL on "shore leave."

Fear Of Flying by Leigh Court – Book publicist Jessie Jordan is deathly afraid of flying, which prompts travel writer Regan Quade to come up with a highly imaginative (and intimate!) way to calm her anxiety. Thrown together on a two-week book tour, the result just might be a bestseller!

Hearts on Fire by Roz Lee – They’ve been burned before, but desire will rekindle the flames of love in this sensual and heart wrenching story of redemption and second chances.

Heart's Destiny by Jennifer Lynne – Eve Perroniʼs quest to find her past leaves no time for love, until a chance prediction leads to the seductive Ky Ransom and a destiny that could make—or break—both their hearts.

Moonlit Seduction by Anne Kane – Winston is a mutt with a mission - to convince Natalie that her fortune lies in surrendering to the seductive Jacob McKinley.

Hidden Fortune by Laura Sheehan – Ava has always played it safe, but after a midnight run-in with a handsome stranger, she discovers that perhaps fortune favors the bold. Can she find the courage to seek the ultimate treasure?

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MOONLIT MAGIC by Anne Kane

Natalie had spent one amazing weekend with Jacob McKinley two years ago. When she awoke the next morning, he was gone. What were the chances that he’d turn up next door to her new home? Or that the mutt she’d rescued would conspire with his bouncy little spaniel to throw the two of them together?
The fortune teller at the local fair tells Natalie that she and Jacob are star-crossed lovers, and warns Jacob that Natalie needs a knight in shining armor. There is something bad coming her way. Can Jacob convince Natalie that he cares, and convince her to give him another chance, to trust him to keep her safe?

EXCERPT
“Ah.” Britney cocked her head, finally making the connection. “I think Grandma mentioned you in some of her letters. I take it you’re the nutcase with the adorable puppy? The one who needs a haircut and a decent pair of jeans?” Not that she saw anything wrong with the ones he was currently wearing. They showed off his slim hips and nicely shaped ass quite effectively. 

The voice in her head snorted in derision.

Jacob rolled his eyes, a wry smile curving the edge of his lips. “That would be me. Your Grandmother was quite the independent spirit. I don’t think she ever approved of me.”

Britney forced a laugh. Did he really not remember her? “Oh you’re in good company. There weren’t very many people she approved of, but in her own way she was loveable. She liked to project the image of a grumpy old lady but she was really very sweet.”

He didn’t look convinced. “I’ll have to take your word for that.” His gaze lingered on her just a smidge longer than was polite. “You look familiar. Have we met before?” 

Oh shit. Now what? Lying was never a good idea, lead to all sorts of things. In her case it usually led to getting caught. 

“I doubt it. I haven’t been around much since I left school. Grandma and I mostly kept in contact by email and phone.” The lie slid out so smoothly she could almost believe it herself. 

He shrugged, although a slight frown marred the perfection of his forehead. “It must be something else. Well, we’ve met now. Welcome to the neighborhood.” He looked down at Winston. “And who do we have here? Maybe Trixie had a reason for running away this time. He looks like quite the gentleman.”

Britney groaned. The guy needed to do something annoying. Anything. She did not like the way her heart melted with every sentence out of his lips. Mind reading better not be one of Jacob’s talents, or she might as well leave town now. 

“This is Winston. He and I are somewhat new to each other, but I have to agree he’s definitely a gentleman.” There. That was almost a conversational tone of voice. 

“Jacob held his hand out, palm up, and Winston sniffed it graciously before ruining the whole gentleman thing by slurping the fingers enthusiastically. 

The look of shock on Jacob’s face was just too much. 

Britney burst out laughing. She couldn’t help it. Finally! A less than perfect reaction. At the sound, Trixie jumped up and down, wagging her tail and yapping excitedly, and Winston let out a dignified woof, just to add to the confusion. 

“I think he likes me.” Jacob wiped his hand off on his jeans, his mouth twisted in a wry grin. “Or maybe he just wanted a quick taste in case you plan on siccing him on me later.”

Britney smothered another peal of laugher, while Winston gave her a pained look. Apparently he saw nothing funny in his gesture of friendship. She patted him on the head. “It’s okay buddy. We can work on your manners this summer.”

He looked up at her with a serious expression and thumped his tail on the ground a few times. Apparently he was fine with that.

“Hate to introduce myself and run, but Trixie and I need to get back now. Welcome to the Cape. I’ll try to keep my little brat off your property from now on. When you get settled, maybe we can get together for a cup of coffee?”

Was he asking for a date? No. A cup of coffee between neighbors was just that. And she didn’t want to date right now anyway. Did she? No! Still, a cup of coffee couldn’t hurt anything. Even a cup of coffee with a gorgeous hunk of man that she’d slept with years ago. “Sure. Sounds lovely.”

He smiled then, and it went all the way from his eyes to the tips of his scuffed up running shoes. Britney’s heart did a little flip. 

Coffee might not be such a safe idea after all!

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HER CYBORG LOVER by Anne Kane

HER CYBORG LOVER by Anne Kane

Natalie’s loved and lost and she’s not so sure she wants to risk her heart again. She’s willing to settle for a challenging career as a space-pilot instructor and a succession of no-strings attached lovers. But that’s before her boss saddles her with the last thing she wants—a new partner.

Jebediah recognizes his perfect match in Natalie from the moment she seduces him on a dare. Everything that makes her a top-notch pilot, from her fearlessness to her passion, make a night in her bed both challenging and unforgettable. Too bad she cuts Jebediah off the moment they’re assigned to a mission in the outer limits of Alliance space.

A dangerous confrontation with a brutal enemy, an exploding drive engine and a traitor close to home throw everything into perspective. Natalie is going to have to put the past behind her and risk it all, because when your partner is also your lover, failure is not an option.

A Romantica® science fiction erotic romance from Ellora’s Cave

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An Excerpt From: HER CYBORG LOVER

Copyright © ANNE KANE, 2014

All Rights Reserved, Ellora's Cave Publishing, Inc.

Chapter One

Natalie pulled the cerebral interface down over her forehead, scanning the display with a practiced eye. A blip on the bottom corner of the screen caught her attention.

“Identify ship, lower quadrant.” She rolled her eyes, waiting impatiently for the computer’s reply. She already knew the answer, or as much as she needed to know. One of the hotshot cadets thought they could sneak up behind her and beat her back to the base.

“Ship identified as delta class reconnaissance pod. Single occupant, unidentified male. No flight plan filed.”

No flight plan? That certainly raised questions. Probably a lower class cadet returning from a routine scouting mission. Maybe she was wrong about their motives. After spending the last decade on active duty, she’d come to expect the younger pilots to challenge her. They thought mature meant slower and less alert. So long as he or she didn’t make any surprise moves, she’d ignore them. “Keep track of their progress.”

“Affirmative.” The ship’s deep voice no longer sent pangs of loss through her. After the accident that had taken her life mate, she’d programmed his voice into her ship’s avatar as a way of keeping him close. That had been almost a decade ago, though. Now, the voice belonged to her ship and if she thought of her lost love at all, it was with a fond nostalgia. Life went on.

“Can they see us?”

“Affirmative. Our cloaking shield is not engaged.”

Even as she prepared to give the cadet the benefit of the doubt, the other ship began to pick up speed, darting in front of her in an obvious show of contempt.

So much for playing Mrs. Nice Gal! “Computer, turn off autopilot. We’re going to show that little snot what a real woman can do.”

“Aye captain. Autopilot disengaged. Do you wish to hail the other ship?”

The scout ship slipped between two asteroids, picking up power as the pilot zigzagged his way through the rock-strewn sky with a flagrant disregard for his ship’s safety. Where did the kids learn to fly these days? In a vacuum? If he weren’t careful, he’d end up a red smear on one of those asteroids.

“Why not? Open hailing frequency.”

A few seconds passed as the avatar located the proper frequency. Natalie slipped the steering yoke over her shoulders, adrenaline already spiking through her as she prepared to meet the challenge. Designed for maximum integration of the ship and its pilot, the yoke made it easy for her to control every nuance of the fighter ship’s reactions. She rammed the throttle forward, engaging all four thrusters and leaning left to avoid colliding with a small rock that careened into her path as the ship surged forward.

“Hailing frequency open.”

Natalie took a deep breath. “Delta class scout ship. This is Captain Sparwood, lead instructor on Gamma Base Seven-Two-Seven. Identify yourself immediately.”

She waited impatiently for a reply. Even the greenest of cadets knew better than to openly defy her. Dead air lay between her and the scout ship. Seemed this cadet was stupider than most.

“Delta Class Scout ship. I order you to identify yourself, or be prepared to handle the consequences.”

A deep male chuckle rolled through the comm link. Natalie blinked. Laughter? Was the idiot actually laughing at her? He was so going to eat her dust, and that would be before she grounded his sorry ass for the next decade or two.

Thirty years of practice gave her the edge every single time one of the cadets pulled a stupid stunt like this. Engaging the infrared overlay on the cerebral interface, she mentally plotted the other ship’s most likely course. Only an experienced space jockey understood that the shortest route was rarely the quickest, or the easiest.

Sure enough, the idiot darted between the two large asteroids directly in front of him. A seasoned pilot would know that the combined gravitational fields of the rocks created a braking effect on any smaller object caught between the two of them. Real-life one on one versus theory in the classroom. She could almost feel sorry for the pilot as he struggled to wrest control of his ship from the two inanimate objects.

Almost, but not quite. She circled around the trap, putting herself directly between the rocket jockey and home base. Let him watch her tail for a while before she slapped him into the brig. Waggling her wings in an insulting salute that the unfortunate pilot couldn’t possibly miss, she veered toward home base.

She hadn’t quite finished congratulating herself on such a swift victory when her ship careened sideways, almost colliding with one of the smaller asteroids in the field. What the hell?

She jerked her head up, hardly able to believe the display in front of her eyes. The smaller ship had freed itself of the gravity well and moved to parallel her before turning so that his thrusters aimed directly at her side. When he fired them, the shock hit the pilot ship with all the force of a herd of thundering moon-cats. Crap! This kid had balls. Balls and the makings of a star-class fighter pilot—if she didn’t kill him first.

Getting the ship back under control, she reined in her temper and concentrated on chasing the smaller ship. It had been a long time since anyone had actually given her a run for her money. She wasn’t sure she liked it.

“Pilot, you just bought yourself a serious amount of time dirt-side. Again, I say, identify yourself.”

No answer.

“Who the hell are you?” Her voice harsh with suppressed rage, she gave the pilot one last chance to reply.

“Obviously a better pilot than you.” His voice was smooth and low, with a trace of male humor showing through. Arrogant, definitely arrogant. She felt a grudging respect for his lack of deference. He had her on the run and he knew it.

“I doubt that. I got careless and you got lucky.”

A disbelieving snort echoed through the com link. “I’m an excellent pilot. I don’t need luck.”

“And your name?” She didn’t recall the last time she’d spent this much time trying to extract information from a cadet. Who the hell was this guy?

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RUNNING SCARED by Anne Kane

RUNNING SCARED by Anne Kane

Mercenaries Series 2

She was a genetic experiment that was never supposed to get out of the lab. If the government finds her they will kill her without hesitation. Her memories of her early life are sketchy but the one clear image she has is of a brother who saved her life, and then disappeared.

Jackson knows what it's like to lose your entire family in one bloody instant, and he vows to help Saralyn find hers. It doesn't hurt that he finds her irresistibly sexy or that the attraction is mutual. They enlist the rest of the mercenary team in a search operation that takes them into the heart of the corrupt government.

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Running Scared (Mercenaries)
Anne Kane
All rights reserved.
Copyright ©2013 Anne Kane

This e-book file contains sexually explicit scenes and adult language which some may find offensive and which is not appropriate for a young audience. Changeling Press E-Books are for sale to adults, only, as defined by the laws of the country in which you made your purchase. Please store your files wisely, where they cannot be accessed by under-aged readers.

Saralyn ran her hands over the computer's input screen, sorting through the mess of icons with a speed that she knew suggested more than a passing acquaintance with technology.

There! She pulled the icon forward, tapping it gently to open its secrets. Closing her eyes, she splayed her fingers across the screen and let the information flow through the tips of her fingers, gigabytes of info flashing along the web of her nervous system to the storage cells in her brain. Later, she'd sort through the files and isolate the information she needed. Right now she just wanted to get out of here before...

"Looking for something?"

Damn! The overhead lights snapped on, and Saralyn turned to see the man they called Jackson lounging against the doorframe. Bad timing. Five more minutes and she would have been home free. One thing she'd learned at an early age was to hide her differences. Survival depended on blending into the crowd, not letting anyone know just how different she was. Just how much had he seen?

She plastered an innocent smile on her face. "Not really. Just couldn't sleep so I thought I'd see if I could find a game to play." She gestured at the bank of computers behind her. "I looked, but I can't find the game files. Maybe you can show me where they are?"

Jackson lifted one brow, a glimmer of humor shining in the depths of his dark eyes. He had nice eyes. Dark. Dreamy. Right now they seemed to see right through her, and she had to force herself not to squirm. Unfortunately that combination of bedroom eyes and the physique of a Greek god was making it hard for her to think.

Jackson pushed himself upright and sauntered into the room. "That's Trace's computer you were fondling, and frankly, I don't think Trace has ever played a game in his life. But you already knew that. I heard rumors about the government experiments, but I thought they terminated all of you years ago. How come you're still alive?"

My goodness, he was tall! Of course at five feet nothing, she was used to looking up at people. It didn't help that she was finding it harder to concentrate with every step he took toward her. She took a deep breath. "I have no idea what you're talking about. I've lived on the streets as long as I can remember. All the government has ever done for me is chase me away and make it hard to stay alive. And I was not fondling the computer!" At least not much. He obviously had an overactive imagination. "And how would I know anything about Trace's preferences? I thought all you geeky type guys were gamers. I've barely been here a week, and I'm still trying to sort you all out. Which one is Trace?"

He stopped right beside her, forcing her to tilt her neck backward to look up into his eyes. "Trace is our resident bloodhound. Tall, shaggy black hair, resembles a grouchy bear most days? Ring a bell? Set him onto something or someone and he'll follow the faintest of leads until he finally tracks them down. He can pull more info out of those computer banks than a buzzard pulls out of the garbage slews. I'm glad he's on our side, because he's one scary dude. I wonder what he'd find out if I sicced him onto you."

Saralyn did a mental tally of the men on Kaeden's team of mercenaries. Yes, she knew which one was Trace. That description was amazingly accurate. Then again, all of them were scary dudes, although she'd never admit that to them.

Living on the run all these years had taught her that any sign of weakness would bring the predators swarming in for the kill. She highly doubted he would find anything of interest on her, though. Her life, for as long as she could remember, had consisted of an ongoing struggle to stay alive and find enough to eat. It was the second part of the statement that intrigued her. "So this Trace can find stuff? Or people?"

Jackson nodded, his eyes narrowing. "If anyone can find it, Trace can. Why? There something in particular you need to find?"

Saralyn opened her mouth, and was amazed to find herself telling the truth. Trust was a foreign concept and if a person knew what was important to her, they could use it against her...

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KITTY KAT by Anne Kane

KITTY KAT by Anne Kane

Protect and Serve Series

Kat hasn’t always been a stray -- but times are tough, and when she lost her job, her no good boyfriend dumped her. Now she’s living in a deserted basement and scrounging for food behind the restaurants in the better section of town, while attending business school during the day.

Jake feeds scraps of his dinner to the fluffy little con-artist from time to time as he walks his beat. He can’t get the sassy stray off his mind. He feels a strange affinity for the feisty little kitty, so he decides to trap her and tame her. What he doesn’t realize is, she’s a shifter, and she’s conned his heart right out of his chest.

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Protect and Serve: Kitty Kat
Anne Kane
All rights reserved.
Copyright ©2011 Anne Kane

This e-book file contains sexually explicit scenes and adult language which some may find offensive and which is not appropriate for a young audience. Changeling Press E-Books are for sale to adults, only, as defined by the laws of the country in which you made your purchase. Please store your files wisely, where they cannot be accessed by under-aged readers.

Jake hunkered down behind the glassless window, setting the cup of steaming take-out coffee down beside him. Stakeouts were nothing new, but this one was different. The suspect wasn't human; wasn't a suspect really. It was hard to believe that a hard-nosed, cynical Irish beat cop would go to all this trouble to capture one scruffy, ill-tempered scrap of a kitty cat.

He took a sip of the coffee, cursing under his breath when it burned his tongue. When he'd decided to go ahead with this scheme, he'd rigged a live animal trap from descriptions in a book he'd found in one of the old library buildings. Libraries were one of the first things to go when society broke down, but the books were still there, covered in dust and spider webs.

Bait was easy -- he'd been tossing scraps to the little feline for over six months now and he knew her preferences. Funny little thing, she preferred her meat cooked. Chicken, fried like they used to do it in those fast food places you saw on history shows, would draw her into the cage, and once the trap door shut, he'd have her. A soft thud alerted him and he stilled, his eyes narrowing as he searched the shadows of the deserted warehouse.

The little stray leapt into view from the top of a pile of dusty cartons. Her fur stuck up in unkempt clumps, affirming his decision to capture her for her own good. Once he got her home, he could look after her properly and put a little meat on her scrawny frame. Her attention flicked to the lump of chicken in the trap but she took her time, scouting the area first. Tail lashing back and forth, ears pricked forward on high alert, she stalked the perimeter of the warehouse space.

Jake suppressed a chuckle even as he respected the tiny creature's security precautions. Life had become much tougher after the collapse of the World Economic Council, and this was one of the roughest parts of the city. She might be small, but his soon-to-be little pet was a survivor.

Satisfied there was no imminent danger, the little cat padded toward the makeshift trap, her head tilted quizzically to the side. Probably wondering what this new contraption in her territory was and why it was there. Her nose twitched as she inched forward, stalking the chicken as if it were a mouse.

Jake held his breath as she entered the trap, her attention centered on the food. It seemed like forever before her entire body was inside the cage and the gate slammed down, ensnaring her just as she took the first dainty bite of the prize. Tiny as she was, the feline exploded into a snarling, spitting bundle of pissed-off fur, and Jake chuckled at the display of temper. He guessed she'd weigh less than ten pounds dripping wet, yet she acted as though she thought she were a full-sized tigress.

He unfolded himself from the chair and took another sip of his coffee. Now that she was secured, he wasn't in any hurry to face the little wildcat. Sauntering over to the trap, he stared down at his prize.

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HELL HATH NO FURY by Anne Kane

HELL HATH NO FURY by Anne Kane

Hellhound Detective Agency

If there was one thing guaranteed to piss off Fury, it was a man who didn't know how to treat a woman. One that actually hurt them on purpose, well, they'd better hope she managed to rein in her inner Hellhound when she came calling.

Women had been disappearing for months now, the kind of women that no one really cared about. Later, they'd turn up dead, and they didn't get that way easy. Then the killer made a mistake. The woman he'd been torturing escaped before he finished her off, and she called in the Hellhounds.

Now, the suspect is hiding behind a web of tech and Fury needs the help of a Tech Wizard to help to run him to ground. Axe finally gets the chance to prove that a werewolf-Hellhound cross is just what Fury needs for more than just work.

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Hellhound Detective Agency: Hell Hath No Fury
Anne Kane
All rights reserved.
Copyright ©2011 Anne Kane

This e-book file contains sexually explicit scenes and adult language which some may find offensive and which is not appropriate for a young audience. Changeling Press E-Books are for sale to adults, only, as defined by the laws of the country in which you made your purchase. Please store your files wisely, where they cannot be accessed by under-aged readers.

Yurik stumbled to a halt in front of the store, his lungs burning as he sucked in huge gulps of air. In the distance, the eerie baying of the Hellhound sent shivers of horror down his spine. She was getting closer, and nothing he'd done had shaken her from his trail. He was running out options.

Hellhounds didn't just decide to chase someone, they had to be pointed at you, and he knew who was responsible for his current predicament. Kali. She'd been so young and so deliciously innocent when he'd acquired her from her makeshift shelter in the alley. That high-pitched note of terror in her voice every night when he'd unlocked her cage to play with her had thrilled him during the endless days of her captivity. And then she'd escaped.

He couldn't believe that after all he'd done to her, she still had enough nerve to get up and run when he'd forgotten to lock her cage. If he ever got his hands on that bitch again, she'd wish she'd never been born. Now there was a Hellhound on his trail, and he had just one card left to play.

He pushed opened the door and stepped inside.

* * *
Fury pointed her nose to the sky, letting out a howl of sheer frustration. She'd been so close she could taste the perverted scumbag's fear in the very air she breathed, and now he was gone. He'd resorted to Tech Magic to cover his tracks, and that was the one thing guaranteed to drive her crazy. Only inferiors resorted to Tech.

An unfortunate rat dashed across the road in front of her, and pent-up aggression sent her pouncing on it. Her jaws snapping shut around its neck, she tore the rodent to bloody shreds before it even had time to register the danger.

Blood dripping from her muzzle, she sat back on her haunches and considered her options. This guy needed taken down quickly, before he zeroed in on his next victim. Scum like this never quit so long as they were alive. She flicked her tongue out to catch a red drop of blood.

Much as it pained her to admit it, she needed a Tech Wizard. She was proud of being a full-blooded Hellhound, able to track any prey using her own raw talent honed by Agency training. When a perp resorted to lowly Tech to avoid her, it meant she had to call in one of the Tech Wizards that the Hellhound Detective Agency kept on staff for just such occasions.

She got to her feet and started loping back toward the Agency. Might as well get it over with. A small flutter of anticipation warmed her belly, although she refused to acknowledge it. Axe was the best Tech Wizard at the Agency, so of course she'd do whatever it took to get him to cooperate.

* * *
Axe made an effort to mask his amusement, studying the cluttered top of his desk to avoid looking at her. No point in pissing off the Hellhound before he found out exactly what she was up to. He'd been trying unsuccessfully to get her to agree to go out with him since he'd first set eyes on her two years ago. She'd frozen him in his tracks with one look from those amazing eyes of hers, making no attempt to hide her distain for creatures with less than full Hellhound blood. So why was she suddenly in his office, engaging in idle chitchat?

"That new club over on Seventh is really drawing in the crowds." Fury leaned against the wall, ignoring the other chair. Axe knew she did it deliberately so that her head was positioned higher than his. Dominance games were as much a part of Hellhound DNA as breathing.

Axe tipped his leather office chair back, resting his feet on the paper-covered surface of his desk in a move calculated to show his disregard for the game. He might not be full Hellhound, but werewolves were playing these games long before the gates of Hell were opened. "Looks like a decent place. I haven't gotten around to checking it out yet."

Fury straightened up and sauntered over to the window, turning her back toward him. "We could go grab a beer after work. If you want."

He couldn't help it. His eyebrows shot skyward with the speed of light. "I want, but I'm a tad confused here. I thought you considered me to be slightly more obnoxious than the common cockroach."

She turned to face him, a sexy smile curving the corner of her mouth. "I wouldn't go that far. And I've reconsidered." Her gaze swept him from head to toe with the speed of a tornado. "You have certain... admirable qualities."

Axe grinned. She was good. He had to give her that. "I think I smell a conniving Hellhound. You want something, and you think I'll be dumb enough to give it to you just because you smile and wag your tail in my face?"

"Am I wrong?" She slipped her tongue out to trace a wet circle around her lips.

"Maybe. Maybe not. Depends what you want." Axe hauled himself to his feet and held out his hand in a mock courtly gesture. "Care to enlighten me over a glass of beer at the aforementioned establishment?"

Fury's eyes sparkled with mischief as she hooked her arm through his. "Delighted to. You're not quite the pushover I imagined."

"Thanks. I think." He slanted a quizzical look at her. "You honestly thought a werewolf-Hellhound cross could be a pushover?"

She shrugged. "The werewolf genes dilute the Hellhound blood."

Axe laughed. She had no clue how utterly ruthless and bloodthirsty a werewolf could be. Hellhounds were basically big scary dogs. Sure, they had supernatural talents, but they were still just dogs.
Werewolves might appear to be more civilized, but only to those who didn't know them. She'd learn. And he was just the werewolf to teach her.
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IMPERIAL HAVEN by Anne Kane

IMPERIAL HAVEN by Anne Kane

Mating Season Book Three

Caitlin is a high-class data thief. She knows how to get in and out of a mark's house without detection, but this time something went wrong. Kyran not only caught her red-handed, tapping into his computer system, he also seems to think they have some kind of bond-mate thing going.

What's a girl to do when the bounty hunter you were stealing from turns out to be an Imperial Were-Panther with the hots for you?

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Mating Season: Imperial Haven
Anne Kane
All rights reserved.
Copyright ©2011 Anne Kane

This e-book file contains sexually explicit scenes and adult language which some may find offensive and which is not appropriate for a young audience. Changeling Press E-Books are for sale to adults, only, as defined by the laws of the country in which you made your purchase. Please store your files wisely, where they cannot be accessed by under-aged readers.

Caitlyn peered around the edge of the railing and studied the ship in dock slip number eighty-seven. A long-range scouting vehicle, it belonged to a bounty hunter named Kyran. What kind of name was that anyway? Kyran? Sounded like a small parasite that the fish on her home planet feasted on.

Satisfied that the docking corridor was empty, she scurried over to the ship and held the sonar lock pick over the security box. It hummed for a few seconds before a soft click let her know the lock was now disarmed. Pocketing the small device, she slid open the heavy outer hatch and entered the spaceship.

Inside, the layout looked exactly as her research had led her to expect. The Mark IV was a popular vehicle, noted for its reliability and low energy consumption. Corridors branched off in two directions from where she stood. The one on the right should lead to the crew quarters and galley, the left to the bridge and all of the computer equipment.

Caitlyn headed left. Talk about a sweet deal. She just needed to locate Mr. Bounty Hunter's main files and download a copy of the new engine specs he'd been bragging about in the Spaceport tavern last nightfall. Her client was offering big bucks for them, and she could use a fat commission right about now. What with the government lackeys declaring a galaxy-wide crackdown on smuggling, the data theft business hadn't been so good lately.

She'd been stealing data almost as long as she'd been breathing the rarified oxygen that passed for an atmosphere on the mining droids. She'd discovered early on that her small stature and innocent face were assets she could exploit. The space enforcers had never even come close to catching her. Once she'd started working data dumps on a regular basis, she'd set up a double blind drop system to make sure even the clients didn't see who she was.

When she turned the corner, the corridor widened out to the bridge. She stopped, staring around in admiration. The walls were sheets of polished titanium, glowing richly in the low light of the ship's systems. A state-of-the-art pilot's chair sat dead center of the room, overlooking the navigation and communication station. A complicated array of computer banks lined the walls to the left, and she headed toward them. The info she needed would be stored somewhere in their hard drives.

An unfamiliar chill slithered down her back, and she turned to study the room carefully. Nothing but empty space greeted her, and she shrugged, turning back to the task at hand. She needed to take a break, maybe after this job. Her nerves were shot. The heist last month had gone badly, leaving a sour taste in her mouth, and now she was sensing things that weren't there. Not good. In this job, you needed nerves of steel.

Spying an access terminal, she glided across the room and pulled her mane of golden hair aside to expose the input jack just behind her ear. Plugging one end of the download cable into it, she slid the receiver into the data port. Images immediately flooded through the link, blinding her with their sheer volume, and she closed her eyes to concentrate. It took a few minutes to bring the flow under control so she could sort through it, looking for the plans that she wanted. This was the mind-numbingly boring part.

The bounty hunter was organized, she'd give him that. The data banks were neatly arranged, information stacked by subject. She skimmed past star charts and weapons schematics, financial data and the ship's supply logs. The man kept records of everything! She found the technical data stored in the back corner of the drive, and began the tedious job of scanning each string of code. It had to be in here somewhere, and when she found it her money troubles would be over. At least for now.

The bounty hunter came out of nowhere, grasping her wrists and snapping on the magnetic cuffs before she had time to react and pull her consciousness out of the computer banks. He pulled her arms up over her head, and the magnetic cuffs snapped into position against the metal frame of the ship, leaving her standing spread-eagled in front of him. With a sardonic grin, he reached up to pull the download cable out of the jack in her head.

She felt so incredibly helpless, not something she had a lot of experience with. She looked up the long muscular length of her captor's sculpted body. In person, he looked a whole lot more intimidating than he had in the vid pic she'd dug up on the station's news feed. At least six and a half feet tall, his skintight uni-suit did nothing to hide the sleek ropes of muscle that rippled across his massive chest. Dark hair hung to his shoulders and framed a face more rugged than handsome.

His eyes, though, were what held her attention. Dark as a Zargonian night sky and with swirling hazel streaks, they sent shivers of lust dancing up her spine.

She should be terrified, but all her treacherous mind could think of was how good his hands would feel on her naked body.

"Looking for something?" His voice was deep and husky, the kind of voice that could make the meteor report sound sexy.

"No, just passing by and thought I'd take a look at your system." She ignored the sinking feeling in her gut and pasted a cheerful smile on her face. "I've never been aboard a ship like this before. It's very impressive."

"Well, it's your lucky day then." His lopsided grin didn't do much to reassure her, especially with those eyes boring into her very soul. "You'll be getting a free ride on her."

"Oh, that's nice of you, but I'm afraid I won't be able to take you up on that. I have a commitment elsewhere tonight. Lovely as they are, I'm going to have to ask you to remove the bracelets."

Kyran shook his head, his eyes darkening even more. "I'm afraid that's out of the question. You'll have to send your regrets." He took one step forward, placing a hand on either side of her head and trapping her between the wall and his considerable bulk.

Warm breath feathered teasingly along her cheek as he brought his face close to sear a kiss across her lips. He slid his tongue across the seam of her lips, his mouth hard and demanding.

Caitlyn's body reacted immediately, insatiable lust flooding through every cell. She opened her mouth, something in her unable to resist his combination of domination and seduction. Kyran lifted his head for a second, and disappointment shivered through her. None of the news vids had mentioned what an amazing kisser he was.

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PRIVATE SKIRMISH by Anne Kane

PRIVATE SKIRMISH by Anne Kane

Mercenaries Book One

When her little sister disappears, Dee vows to find her. She follows a lead to Loden Province but is picked up by Government troops and convicted of crossing provincial borders without a permit. The punishment? She is sent to be sold at auction.

As the auctioneer calls for bids, she hears a voice from her past. Kaeden! The lover she ran out on in order to raise her little sister. He's found her again, and he has no intention of letting her escape a second time. He and his band of mercenaries will do whatever it takes to reunite the sisters and keep them safe.

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Mercenaries: Private Skirmish
Anne Kane
All rights reserved.
Copyright ©2012 Anne Kane

This e-book file contains sexually explicit scenes and adult language which some may find offensive and which is not appropriate for a young audience. Changeling Press E-Books are for sale to adults, only, as defined by the laws of the country in which you made your purchase. Please store your files wisely, where they cannot be accessed by under-aged readers.

Dee glared at the guard as he nudged her back into place with the barrel of his plasma rifle. One lousy moment of inattention and here she was, waiting her turn on the auction block.

"Sold!" The auctioneer's voice rang loud as his gavel hit the podium and the dusky beauty from Uranus Prime was led to the holding cells on the far side of the room, a sultry smile curving her full lips.

"You're up, blondie. Smile pretty and you might fetch a decent owner." The young wrangler smirked as he grabbed the lead attached to the heavy collar around her neck. Dee followed quietly as he led her to the auction block, not because she wanted to be sold off like an animal but because she knew this wasn't the time to make a run for her freedom.

She glanced around. Too many guards. Too much security. The holding area was crawling with people of every description and not one would lift a hand to help her. She had been looking for her sister in one of the outer provinces when they arrested her. The penalty for leaving her home province without permission was indentured service for the remainder of her natural life.

When the Military Alliance ousted the democratic government of Earth, things had changed drastically for the inhabitants. The new rulers had lots of rules and little tolerance for those who didn't follow them. They found a creative way to get rid of citizens who didn't obey their every whim, without having to pay for expensive prisons. Sell them, and pocket the profit. Military efficiency at its finest.

Dee had every intention of escaping, but now was not the time. Maybe the wrangler had a point. A lax owner would make her eventual escape so much easier. If she played her cards right, she could be on her way by nightfall. She mustered up her sexiest smile and looked out over the room full of prospective buyers.

"What am I bid for this healthy young specimen?" The auctioneer beamed at her like a fond uncle. "Strayed into the wrong province and arrested without any damage to the merchandise. Turn around, sweetie, and let the crowd see what they're bidding on."

Dee gritted her teeth, keeping her eyes downcast to hide her initial reaction. Merchandise, indeed! She turned in a slow circle, ignoring the catcalls of a rowdy bunch of miners in the front row. They were just here for the show, they wouldn't have the credits to actually bid.

"Let's start at one thousand." The auctioneer launched into his well-practiced spiel, and Dee watched as the bidding became a contest between a jovial fellow with two dark beauties sitting quietly at his feet, and a rather nasty-looking man who smacked a riding crop against his boots every time someone bid against him. Lordy, if he won she'd have to make a break for it before he carted her off to whatever rock he'd crawled out from under.

"Come on, people. Look at her. New to the block. I'd bet my finest leather duster that she's never been used by more than one male at a time. Just think what fun you could have training her to your own tastes. Do I hear six thousand?"

"Six thousand, five hundred." The Nasty Guy's smile was as cold as an arctic outflow.

The Jovial Fellow hesitated a moment, and Dee's heart sank. She eyed up the exits, wondering which one was the quickest route to outside and freedom. There was no way she was going to let Nasty Guy take her anywhere.

"Ten thousand."

Dee's head jerked up at the sound of that familiar voice, her heart rate soaring. Kaeden! Where was he? And what the hell was he doing at a slave auction? He hated the government-run auctions with a passion that bordered on obsession. The only time he'd ever attended one was to start a riot and watch the slaves bolt for freedom.

Nasty Guy stood, his crop whistling though the air in agitation, and for a moment Dee thought he was going to bid higher. Her breath caught in her throat. He glared at the back of the room before spinning on his heel and stalking out of the hall.

Dee let out a relieved breath, her eyes scanning the crowd until she found him. Kaeden. The only man who'd ever managed to break through the wall of ice she kept around her heart. He stared straight at her, the hard glint in his eye telling her he hadn't forgiven her for walking out on him.

"Ten thousand! Now that's more like it. Anyone want to go ten one hundred?" The auctioneer paused, his gavel held in midair and a happy grin on his face. His cut of the sale price would keep him in black market ale for the next few moon cycles. "No? Going once? Going twice. Sold, to the gentleman in row nine!" The gavel hit the podium with a decisive thump, and Dee gave a sigh of relief. Kaeden might be pissed at her, but at least she didn't have to worry about being a slave.

He and his band of mercenaries went out of their way to disrupt the slave trade. He'd read her the riot act first, but he'd sign her freedom papers and she could be on her way. Next time, she'd check for government forces before she waltzed into a bar on the wrong side of a provincial border. If she hadn't been so intent on finding Wren, she might have noticed the captain's bars on the man's shoulder and avoided this whole unfortunate incident.

The wrangler led her off the block and over to the holding pens. Before he managed to shove her into one of the iron holding cells, Kaeden materialized at her side, his hand held out for the lead. "No need for that. I'll take her from here."

Dee watched the wrangler open his mouth to protest. There were forms to fill out, money to change hands and receipts to be issued. It didn't surprise her that after one look at the mercenary's hard face, the wrangler closed his mouth and handed over the lead without protest.

"You can collect the paperwork over there." He pointed to the harried-looking secretary and made a quick escape. Dee didn't blame him.

She looked into the chilly eyes of her former lover. He had aged in the time she'd been gone. The harsh angles of his face were more pronounced. She still found him absolutely irresistible. "You here specifically for me, or just slumming?"

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THE BIG BLUE by Anne Kane

THE BIG BLUE by Anne Kane

Protect and Serve Series

Polar bear shifters are rare these days, and most of them keep a low profile. Tundra knows the rules, but tonight she needs to get laid and it will take a strong man to satisfy her.

Alec's buddies call him the Big Blue, and they're closer to the truth than most of them know. Trolls have a nasty reputation in this brave new world.

The very first time Tundra sees Blue, she knows she has to have him. What she doesn't realize is that she'll never want to let him go. When Alex goes to confront the head of a vicious Cabal, Tundra follows to make sure he doesn't get hurt. After all, even a troll's hide isn't as thick as a polar bear's.

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Protect and Serve: The Big Blue
Anne Kane
All rights reserved.
Copyright ©2012 Anne Kane

This e-book file contains sexually explicit scenes and adult language which some may find offensive and which is not appropriate for a young audience. Changeling Press E-Books are for sale to adults, only, as defined by the laws of the country in which you made your purchase. Please store your files wisely, where they cannot be accessed by under-aged readers.

I stalked across the bar and hauled myself up onto one of the few empty barstools. It looked like the entire neighborhood had decided to drown their sorrows at the same time. At least that meant there was a good selection of men available. Good thing, because right now I was feeling hornier than a werewolf during the full moon, and pissed enough not to be too picky about whom I chose to spend the night with. Talks with my self-appointed guardian Tyrone always had this effect on me. Make that monologues. I don't think I'd managed to get in more than two words during the entire fiasco.

I waved my hand to catch Sam's attention, and motioned him to bring me a drink. Sam had been bartending at Joe's Bar long enough to know what I wanted. I swiveled the chair and surveyed the room, considering my options. The three guys at the pool table weren't bad looking, and there were a few likely candidates at a table in the far corner, but they all looked just a tad too civilized for my taste tonight. I was in the mood for something wild.

A gust of wind drew my attention to the door. The man who entered sent heat curling deep in my gut. Civilized was the last word that came to mind. Hard. Wild. Uncivilized. Yeah, those described him to a T.

A riot of dark hair curled all the way to the blue uniform stretched tight across his huge shoulders. He reminded me of the football players at the inner city stadiums, wide and covered with thick ropes of muscle. A tingle of anticipation raced through me. His dark eyes swept the room with cynical disinterest as he shouldered his way through the noisy crowd, and I found myself holding my breath as I waited for him to notice me.

"He's trouble, Tundra. Don't even think about it." Sam slapped the beer down in front of me, breaking the spell.

"You know him?" I ignored the bartender's frown. I was way past needing someone to vet my dates. "I don't remember seeing him in here before."

Sam nodded. "Alex is a loner, a beat cop down at the precinct. He doesn't come in here often. Last time he did, it took me two days to clean up the mess." He leaned forward, lowering his voice so I had to strain to hear his words. "I heard a rumor that there's a troll somewhere in his family tree, and I'm inclined to believe it."

"Really." I swept my tongue across my suddenly dry lips as I watched the slide of tight material over his ass. "That could make things very... interesting." Sam snorted and shook his head as I took a long pull on my drink. "That's one word for it. Don't say I didn't warn you!"

I laughed, throwing him a saucy grin as I slid off the barstool. "Warning duly noted. Wish me luck!" Turning my back on his disapproving frown, I wound my way through the dense crowd toward my target.

He'd taken a seat at a small table and was watching the trio at the pool table mangle a simple game of spots and stripes. One of the scantily clad waitresses swooped in to deposit a drink in front of him, bending forward so far that I fully expected her ample bosoms to fall out of the low-cut bodice of her dress. She had better not be under the impression that she stood a chance with him, because I was more than willing to get into a fight tonight. A little pre-coitus bloodshed would be just a bonus.

The man tossed some credits at her, and she flounced away to take orders from another table. I found myself feeling mildly disappointed. I hadn't been in a good fight in at least two moons. Wouldn't hurt to get in a little practice.

Reaching my destination, I pulled out the other chair at the table and sat down beside my target. I took my time assessing him close up, letting my gaze wander from the tips of his serviceable boots and up his muscular legs to the impressive bulge at his groin. Looked like I wouldn't have to work too hard to get what I wanted.

I took another gulp of my beer and considered the vast expanse of his chest, barely covered by the tight uniform. A unicorn tattoo on his biceps seemed incongruous with the rough attitude, and being my usual tactful self, I decided not to mention it.

Yeah, right. Me? Tactful? "So what's with the prissy little horse?" I nodded at the tattoo. "Lose a bet or something?"

I found myself staring into the darkest eyes I'd ever encountered; pools of liquid heat. For a moment, I thought I'd blown my chance of playing ride-em cowboy with him, but then the corners of his eyes crinkled and he let out a bellow of real, straight-from-the-gut laughter. It made him look even hotter, which I hadn't thought possible. My libido kicked into high gear, and I could feel the liquid heat gathering at the apex of my thighs. Idly, I wondered if he'd go for the direct approach and save us both some time. I decided not to risk it.

"The prissy little horse has a certain sentimental value that I only share with close friends." The man's eyes swept over me with obvious interest. "Do I know you?"

I decided to play it cool and mysterious. Who knows? It worked on those old video flicks they showed on public TV. "Not yet, but the night is young." Okay, that just sounded stupid. I smiled in what I hoped was a seductive manner. "My name is Tundra."

A slow, sexy smile turned his face into an open invitation -- one I had every intention of accepting. When he spoke, his voice had the smooth, deep inflection of a very old bottle of expensive whiskey. "That's a very unusual name. Nice to meet you, Tundra."

He held his hand out and I stared at it like an idiot. He wanted to shake hands? Not exactly what I'd envisioned, but hey, it was a start. I took his hand and shook it. It was big. Real big. Heat crawled up my spine as I imagined it caressing my breasts. Or sliding across my naked ass. "Nice to meet you too..." I arched my eyebrow as it occurred to me I had no idea what his name was.

The smile widened. "Alex. But most people just call me Big Blue."

I took a long drink, letting the silence stretch out. "Big Blue. How interesting. Referring to your uniform, I assume?"

He chuckled. "Well, that would be the Blue part."

"And the Big?" It took all my self-control to keep my gaze from straying to that thick bulge at his groin.

He kept eye contact, the grin on his face taking on a mischievous look as he reached for my hand and drew it slowly toward his lap. He didn't say anything else. He didn't have to. Under my questing fingers, that huge lump grew even bigger. Big Blue indeed! "Oh my."

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AUDIT THIS! by Anne Kane

AUDIT THIS! by Anne Kane

When government tax auditor Nick finds himself obsessed with the work of erotic romance author Khloe Matters, there's only one thing to do. Audit her! But getting a closer look at the sexy author in her own home just makes him switch his obsession from the writing to the writer.

When he accompanies her to a writers' festival, things heat up in a hurry. Neither of them is being entirely honest, and as the weekend progresses so does the hilariously tangled webs of deceit as each of them seeks to further their own agenda.

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Audit This!
Anne Kane
All rights reserved.
Copyright ©2013 Anne Kane

This e-book file contains sexually explicit scenes and adult language which some may find offensive and which is not appropriate for a young audience. Changeling Press E-Books are for sale to adults, only, as defined by the laws of the country in which you made your purchase. Please store your files wisely, where they cannot be accessed by under-aged readers.

"What do you mean you're disallowing ninety percent of the expenses I claimed?" Khloe tried not to scream at the smug smile on the auditor's face. Hard to believe her libido had jumped to attention when he'd first showed up at her door. Just went to show how bad a judge of character she was. "You can't do that. They are all legitimate business deductions."

"Really?" The man raised one of those perfect brows. "Care to explain how a trip to Spain qualifies as a business expense? You're a writer. You don't have to leave the house. You don't even have to get dressed."

Khloe gritted her teeth, taking a deep breath to calm herself down before she answered. She knew his name. Nicholas Carver. She just didn't think a government auditor deserved such an impressive name. Calling him a dumb-assed bean counter probably wouldn't help her situation, though.

"Although I have not claimed any clothing expenses, I assure you I do have to get dressed. My neighbours are a conservative bunch. I do have to leave the house occasionally, and I generally make a point of putting some clothes on before I do. That trip was for research." Well, duh, what else would it be? Maybe this guy got all the looks and none of the brains. "My last mystery novel was set in Madrid during the running of the bulls. I needed to be there to get the feel of the place and understand the atmosphere, how the crowd reacted. I wouldn't stay in business long if I didn't pay attention to the little details. Readers can smell a mistake a mile away, and if I lose their trust I'll be working at the grocery store for a fraction of what I make writing."

The auditor snorted. "Quite the drama queen, aren't you? I might accept the research excuse if the tone came through in your work, assuming we're talking about a published manuscript. Do you have a copy of that alleged book?"

The sceptical tone of his voice, not to mention his use of the word "alleged," set Khloe's teeth on edge. How dare he sit there in his perfectly pressed suit and make her justify every item on her tax return? Oh right. He was the almighty tax department auditor! Maybe it would help if she curtseyed or kissed his ring or something.

She smiled sweetly. "Of course." Turning, she ran her fingers along the spines of the books on the shelf. Plucking Bullfighter's Downfall out, she handed it to him. It took quite some effort to keep her smile from turning into a snarl. "I hope you enjoy it. It spent two months on the New York Times Best Sellers list."

He took the book, his brows rising at the cover picturing a couple in a passionate embrace against a backdrop of the famous bull run. Turning the book over, he read the back cover before looking up at her. "Romantic suspense? You're one of those kinds of authors?"

Okay, he might be the big-shot auditor, and he had the ability to make her life, not to mention her finances, a living hell, but he had no right to use that tone of voice when describing the genre she loved.

"Exactly what do you mean by that?" She straightened up to her full five feet five inches and glared down at him. "If you mean one of those authors who can take two characters, introduce them to each other and make them fall passionately and fervently in love while they dodge bullets, murder, mayhem and other nasty plot points, then yes. I'm one of these kinds of authors. And in case you don't believe me, you might want to ask the thousands of readers whose buying habits have put me on the New York Times Best Sellers list time and again."

"No need to get defensive. It's hardly War and Peace but I'm sure it's a very nice story."

It took all of her willpower not to grab the heaviest book on the shelf and smack him over the head with it. War and Peace indeed! "Have you ever tried to read War and Peace?" She took a step forward, gratified at his flinch. "My books are meant to entertain people and take them away from their everyday lives, not bore them to death."

He had the grace to look uncomfortable. "Well, no, I haven't actually read it. I'm more of a John Grisham fan. Lots of war but not much peace."

She felt the tension in her gut relaxing a bit. He wasn't quite the pretentious prig he looked like. Actually, if she took an honest look at him, he resembled the cover models for some of her steamier books.

And that gave her an idea.

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SPACEPORT: KAYLA'S HUNTER by Anne Kane

SPACEPORT: KAYLA'S HUNTER by Anne Kane

Hunter is a cyborg working for the military wing of the Interplanetary Alliance, with an obsession he just can't shake. Four years ago, he met a woman on Rigerion IV and spent the night with her. The sex was incredible. When he woke the next morning she was gone and no matter how hard he looked, he couldn't find her.

When he discovers that she is the captain of one of the most brazen pirate ships in this quadrant, he makes it his personal goal to track her down and punish her. Problem is, despite her status as one of the most notorious pirates in the galaxy, she was bred to be a submissive sex slave, so punishment just makes her hot! What's a cyborg to do?

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Spaceport: Kayla's Hunter
Anne Kane
All rights reserved.
Copyright ©2012 Anne Kane

This e-book file contains sexually explicit scenes and adult language which some may find offensive and which is not appropriate for a young audience. Changeling Press E-Books are for sale to adults, only, as defined by the laws of the country in which you made your purchase. Please store your files wisely, where they cannot be accessed by under-aged readers.

"Deploy the aft lazar array! Now!" Kayla jerked her body hard to the right, her neural implants signaling the ship to mimic her actions. She felt a grudging respect for the captain of the Intrepid as they narrowly avoided another volley from its photon cannons. This wasn't the first battle the two ships had engaged in, but if she didn't catch a lucky break soon, it might be the last.

"The primary engines are overheating! We need to shut them down before they blow." Aygar, her second-in-command threw her a panicked look as he diverted more coolant to the engines. "They've been at redline too long."

"If we drop to secondary engines, we might as well surrender now." Kayla tossed her head back to clear the unruly red tresses from her eyes. "We'll make a run for the asteroid field. If we can slip between the orbiting rubble, the Intrepid will have to break off. They can't maneuver that big mother of a ship in such close quarters."

Aygar nodded, his expression grim. He'd never let her down, and Kayla knew he'd do his best to hold the ship together until they reached safety.

For a while, it looked like they might just pull it off. Kayla dared to hope. The asteroid field loomed close. The Intrepid kept up a steady barrage of fire, but with her enhanced reactions, she managed to dodge the more lethal shots.

"There!" She maneuvered the ship between two chunks of space debris, a triumphant grin dying on her lips at the sudden silence. Shit! "Bring the secondary engines online. Now, damn it!"

"Aye, Captain."

Too late. The Intrepid's bulk swooped in to block their only escape route.

"Damn. Damn. Damn!" Kayla slammed her fist down on the weapons' console in front of her, gritting her teeth in frustration. Escape had been so close!

"Sorry, Captain. Those engines should have been replaced, or at least overhauled two standard years ago. I told you they were in rough shape." Aygar stared glumly at the massive warship on the forward display screen. "Now what are we going to do?"

Kayla closed her eyes, letting out a heavy sigh. It wasn't his fault. She'd gambled on those engines and lost. "Now we hope Hunter's in a good mood."

* * *
"So nice of you to join me." He looked even more intimidating in person than he had in the video conference, if that was possible. Hunter loomed over her, his massive frame dwarfing her own generous proportions. Immense ropes of muscle strained against the tight material of his Alliance uniform, and those piercing blue eyes seemed to look right through her to her innermost secrets.
Hunter was the type of male she'd been bred to crave, bred to satisfy in every conceivable way. Bred to fuck. An alpha-male cyborg. Kayla suppressed the shudder of pure lust that swept through her. Now was not the time to let her genetic programming overcome years of hard work.

She schooled her features to a bland calm. "You didn't leave me a whole lot of alternatives."
"No, I didn't, did I." The smile that curved his lips held no humor. "I've been waiting a long time to meet you." Taking a step forward, he grasped her wrists and slapped on a set of immobilizer cuffs. She could feel the effects immediately, draining her arms of their ability to move. At least he hadn't set the damn things to maximum. He turned to the man at his side. "Blake, take her down to my stateroom and set the cuffs to high. That should keep her out of trouble until I'm done with her crew.
And the damned Alliance paperwork."

Blake looked up at his commanding officer. "Don't you need to log her as one of the prisoners?"
Hunter gave a negative movement of his head. "She and I have unfinished business. As far as the Alliance is concerned, the captain of the pirate ship Defiant didn't survive the attack."

"But..." Blake's voice trailed off as Hunter stared pointedly at him. "Okay then. Your stateroom it is." Taking her by the arm, Blake led Kayla out of the landing bay.

The walk to Hunter's stateroom was longer than she expected, down corridor after long corridor. The place was a maze of intersecting passages and zero G drop tubes. By the time Blake palmed the control panel to the captain's stateroom, she was sure she'd never be able to find her way back to the bridge.

"The captain is a good guy." Blake didn't sound very sure of the fact. "He must have a reason for keeping your presence a secret from the Alliance."

Yeah. Like he intended to punish her personally for all the time he'd spent chasing her around the galaxy. Every time she'd turned around, the Intrepid had been there, harassing her. Somewhere back in the last double moon phase, she'd started to wonder if it were personal. Still, the idea of being turned over to the Alliance didn't thrill her, so for now she'd play nice.

"Could you take these cuffs off? I hate the way they make my arms feel. I promise I'll stay here and wait for the captain." She tried out one of her most charming smiles. Sometimes her breeding paid off. "I'd never find my way around this ship anyways."

"Sorry. Captain ordered full immobilization, and he likes to be obeyed. You might want to find a comfortable spot before I set them."

"No!" Kayla took a step backward, a ball of dread coalescing in her belly. She knew her fear showed on her face, and she didn't care. "I promise I'll be good. Please, don't do that."

Blake had the grace to look upset, but he shook his head. "Captain's orders. No way I can ignore them and stay on this ship. If you lie down on the bed first, it won't be so bad."

Not so bad? Obviously, the SOB had never had immobilizer cuffs used on him! They literally froze the entire nervous system and left the victim unable to do so much as blink. The creche where she'd spent her first ten years had been fond of using them to discipline the girls when they didn't jump fast enough to obey orders. Sex slaves were expected to obey without hesitation, and they were all bred to be sex slaves. Submissive sex slaves.

Kayla had been a very stubborn child, and she'd spent more time in those cuffs than she cared to remember. So, she knew. They were bad, really bad.

But she wouldn't beg. She never begged. Taking a deep breath, she schooled her features to show no emotions as she sat down and let the chair mold itself to her shape. Satisfied with the fit, she held out her arms.

"I really am sorry." The discomfort on Blake's face afforded her a small amount of satisfaction. "Are you sure you don't want to lie on the bed? The captain could be awhile."

Not likely. The last thing she wanted was to have Hunter walk in and see her lying spread-eagled on his bed like some sort of pagan sacrifice...

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