ON THE TRAIL by Zenobia Renquist

ON THE TRAIL by Zenobia Renquist 

Guardian's Tales 3

He's a dog with a bone and she knows just where to bury it.

Tracy has a stalker who is dredging up a past best left forgotten so he can torment her with it. She hires Kaiser, a dog-shifter, to track the culprit and mete out justice.

While a guard dog seems like a good idea, Tracy finds out Kaiser also makes an excellent lap dog. She knows she cannot keep him, but that is no reason not to enjoy him until he leaves.

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~Excerpt~

Tracy turned her face up to the showerhead, enjoying the simulated rain in the privacy of her own bathroom. She didn't care if some of the water seeped into the edges of her tight bun. She planned to see her beautician about a touch-up for her relaxed, mid-back length, black hair over the weekend. Two days of wearing a scarf as a headband would hide the kinky roots resulting from her indulgence.

The soothing hot water trailing over her mattered most, removing all the tension from her workday. Meetings on top of meetings on top of even more meetings. Whoever said it was good to be the king -- or the boss in this case -- never had to put up with as much paperwork as her.

The cooling water signaled the end. She debated turning the knob toward hotter to prolong her stay but it was already at the farthest point. She'd run out the hot water heater, which meant she had to get out.

She spun the knob to the off position and then pushed back the shower curtain. The rack where her towel should be was empty. Likewise the stack of folded, clean towels that should be sitting on the low shelf next to the tub in case of situations like this was also empty.

"Kaiser!"

The large German shepherd poked his head into the bathroom door with her towel hanging from his mouth and a doggy grin on his face.

Tracy held out her hand. "Give it."

He backed up a step.

"Now, Kaiser."

He tossed his head, waving the towel at her.

"I'm not playing. I'm tired. Just bring it here. I don't want to drip water on the floor."

Kaiser left the doorway.

"Damn it, Kaiser!" Tracy brushed off as much of the water as she could before stepping onto the bath rug. She preferred drying off while standing in the tub. Kaiser knew that. "Come back here."

The cool air pumping from the vents raised goose bumps along her arms when she entered her bedroom. So much for her relaxing shower. Now she was shivering and pissed.

"Kaiser." She looked around but the dog was nowhere to be seen. "Give me back my towel before I have you fixed." She walked around the bed, expecting to find his wagging tail sticking out from under the bed skirt, giving away his location. If he got dust bunnies on her clean towel...

He wasn't there.

Tracy sucked her teeth as she looked around again. He had to be here somewhere. He wouldn't leave the bedroom. That was taking the game too far and he knew that. The only other place he could be was the walk-in closet.

"Kaiser, come out." Tracy pushed the door open and reached for the light switch bedside the frame. She flipped it up but the light stayed dark. "Oh, come on." She flipped it up and down a few times before giving up. The light bulb was blown or Kaiser had sabotaged it.

She was done playing hide-and-seek. She was almost dry and getting dressed would speed along the process. "Stupid dog. I should take you right back."

A strong arm grabbed her around the waist and pulled her into the rack of hanging shirts. She squeaked but didn't fight as a hot, naked chest pressed against her back.

Kaiser asked in a low rumble close to her ear, "Now, why would you want to take me back?"

"You're a pain in my ass." And he was ruining her plans for the evening, though she kept that last part to herself.

"Not yet, I'm not." He rubbed his free hand over her ass. "But I can be if you want."

"Let go." Tracy tried to pull away but Kaiser's hold was firm, like always. She was no match for his strength.

"You sure that's what you want?" Kaiser hugged her closer, sandwiching his erection between them.

Tracy swallowed as her libido overrode her fatigue. "Why did you take my towels?"

"I wanted you wet." He slid his hand between her legs and tickled the tips of his fingers against her damp pussy lips. "And you are."

"That's from my shower."

"I don't think it is." His breath fanned over her ear a second before he licked it. "I smell your desire. Why do you always deny it?"

"Why are you always horny?" Tracy's voice hitched when Kaiser nudged her clit.

"I'm a dog. What's your excuse?"

"I --" Her clipped moan of pleasure at Kaiser delving a single finger into her channel cut off her words. Tracy shifted, stirring herself around it.

It wasn't fair how quickly Kaiser could make her forget everything except the pleasure he could give her. She needed to tell him no and to back off. Instead she inched her feet apart while rolling her ass over his dick and dropping her head to his shoulder.

"Mmmmm, nice and wet now. Good girl. Good, good girl."

"Stop it," she snapped, hating when he used doggy speak. She hated more how her nipples tightened and her inner muscles clenched when he did it.

He nipped at her earlobe as he pumped his finger faster. "Somebody is grumpy. What's the matter, girl? Want a treat? Hm? Does my good girl want a treat?"

"Shut up."

"Now, now. Be a good girl. You want your treat, don't you?" He paused long enough to add a second finger and then buried them inside her with a speed that had her juices squishing. "You're drooling already. Soaking my hand and squirming. If you aren't good, I'll make you beg for it."

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FAVORED DRAGON'S RELEASE by D. Renee Bagby

FAVORED DRAGON'S RELEASE by  D. Renee Bagby

Hidden By Dragons Book One

He wants her for his bride to end the dragons’ curse but his love for her is ruining his plans.

In the aftermath of a senseless war that claimed many lives, the gods have punished the dragons for causing the conflict. The next generation will not hatch until Prince Shurik finds a human female willing to put aside generations of animosity to become his bride.

Yolette goes to sleep on the side of a mountain, the odd woman out on a couples' camping trip, and awakes in a field outside the home of a dragon. Transported to an unknown world very different from her own, she must depend on Shurik for shelter and guidance.

Shurik doesn't anticipate his growing feelings for Yolette, making the task of proposing that much harder. Danger looms from those who want the punishment ended and from those who want it to continue until the last dragon is gone. Shurik must decide whether he will save his people or his love and pray to the gods his choice is the right one.

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~Excerpt~

“You mentioned food. All this philosophizing is making me hungry.”

“Rather than having me guess, what would you like?”

“Bread.”

Shurik laughed.

“Did I say something funny?”

“You are so enthusiastic.”

She mumbled, “It was good.”

He walked back to the spot where they had entered and reached toward the darkness. Yolette wasn’t sure what he was doing until he pulled out a large platter and a cup. He returned to the water’s edge where he placed the platter and the cup on the ground. In the middle of the platter was a loaf of sliced bread. Around the bread were meats and cheeses and small pots of what looked like jellies.

Shurik gestured to the food.

Yolette wasn’t sure where to start. She grabbed a piece of bread, tore off a chunk, and reached for the nearest small jar. It contained honey. She was almost sure it was honey. A taste test would prove it. She dipped the bread and then popped the piece in her mouth.

She closed her eyes as the honey exploded over her senses in a rush of sweetness, the likes of which she’d never tasted. Slowly she chewed, savoring every single bit of the bread and actually chewing the requisite twenty times—possibly more—before swallowing.

“I think I just tasted heaven,” she whispered.

“This honey is a delicacy. No human has tasted it before.”

“I’m honored then. It’s positively decadent.” She dipped another piece of bread into the honey and ate it, savoring it as she did the first. It was the slowest she’d ever eaten anything.

Shurik said, “The bees of dragon territory are unique, and thus their honey is unique.”

“I’ll say. It literally is liquid gold for the eyes and senses.” She sighed as she licked a bit of the honey off of her fingers. If nirvana had a flavor, it would have been that honey.

It took a bit of doing, but she managed to make herself eat something else besides the honey. Shurik poured a drink for her from his cup. They ate and drank in silence. She indulged one last bite of honey and bread before her stomach declared maximum occupancy had been reached.

Shurik asked, “Full?”

“Very.” She patted her stomach. “You ate more this time.”

“Your appetite is infectious.” He returned the platter to the shadowed area, placed it inside, and then returned. “What do you wish to do this day?”

Yolette stared at Shurik while she contemplated his question. He watched her without saying a word. Her gaze strayed to his wings. “Flying lessons.”

Shurik’s smile dropped.

“Don’t look like that. I’m not going to get used to how you fly if we never go flying.”

“That is true,” he said in a hesitant manner.

“Besides, I was fine last time. You caught me like you said you would.”

“Yes.”

She stood and clapped her hands together. “Flying lessons.”

Shurik sighed. “Flying lessons.”

She walked over and patted his side. “If it makes you feel better, I’m afraid of heights. So, in a way, I’m showing a lot of trust by even suggesting this.”

He looked at her in surprise. “You did not mention such a fear yesterday.”

“I was too upset about not being able to go home to really register that I was up in the air until after we landed.” She shrugged. “I figured mentioning it now might help somehow. I guess. I don’t know.”

He nodded. “You have nothing to fear while flying with me.”

“Good. Now the only issue is keeping hold of you. You may not realize, but you’re slippery.”

He laughed.

“Not in a slimy way. I mean, because your scales are smooth, they are hard to hold.”

“I understand.”

She sighed, happy he hadn’t taken her words the wrong way.

He said, “Perhaps a rope.”

“No.”

“You could use it as a harness.”

“No. It just seems demeaning somehow.”

“I suggested it, therefore I don’t find it demeaning.”

“And how would the rope be attached? Not around your neck, I know. And tying it around one of your spines is useless since it would slip off after a while.”

“True.”

She made a thinking noise, but it was for show only. She had no other alternatives to offer.

Shurik said, “A rope is still a viable option so long as it stays attached, correct?”

“I don’t like it.” She sounded like she was pouting, even to her own ears. “What if—no. Never mind.”

“What?”

“You could carry me. In your hand, I mean. Like when you lift me up to the table or the bed.”

Shurik looked at his hands.

She followed his gaze and then met his eyes when he looked at her. “No?”

“Your idea is sound but not viable for the long term. I cannot always carry you in such a way. I would fear hurting you.”

“I’m sure you wouldn’t.”

“How can you trust me so completely when we have not known each other long?”

She cocked her head to the side. “You’re nice. I’m usually a pretty good judge of character. I have to trust someone on this new planet. I’ll start with you.”

Shurik blinked at her a few times. He lowered his hand, palm up, and waited.

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DETERMINED LOVER by Zenobia Renquist

DETERMINED LOVER by Zenobia Renquist

Caveat Emptor Book Six

Medusa must decide if dealing with the pain of her past is a fair price for loving the man who would be her future.

Medusa and Darius have escaped with their lives, but to where? The location is an unknown, like their relationship.

After nearly two hundred years apart, Darius is ready to move forward, but Medusa cannot reconcile her present self with the past she purposefully forgot.

Caveat Emptor -- Let the Buyer Beware.

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Caveat Emptor: Determined Lover
Zenobia Renquist
All rights reserved.
Copyright ©2012 Zenobia Renquist

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.


His breath was coming too fast... panting. She could barely feel his heart beating beneath her hand where it rested on his chest. His lean, muscled body was wracked with visible pain. Medusa knew Darius was dying despite his earlier denials.

She wouldn't let that happen. They had been reunited after nearly two centuries apart. Medusa had never thought such a thing possible, but she hadn't known about Darius's immortality. Or perhaps he wasn't immortal when they met. Whatever the case may be, his immortality hadn't come with invulnerability. The spell he'd cast to help them escape death at the hands of his cohorts had stressed his body to the breaking point.

Medusa had to save his life before she could think about reveling in their renewed relationship. Only a few things kept her from acting. First, neither of them had any clothing since they had fled capture after a round of getting re-acquainted sex. Second, Darius's escape spell had landed them on the side of a very high mountain with no path down. Medusa could jump it, but not with Darius in tow. She couldn't use a magical transport spell either. Transporting without knowing where she was or where she wanted to go had its own dangers, but the strain of more magic running through Darius's body might kill him.

That left the cave at their back as shelter against the elements and possible attack. She glanced over her shoulder at the wide opening of the cave. Her vampiric sight, able to pierce any darkness, couldn't make out the back of the cave, which meant it was deep. She couldn't tell if it was inhabited.

Darius wheezed before coughing. His cough had a watery sound and a coppery smell. He had blood in his lungs. She smoothed her hand through his kitten-soft hair in a soothing gesture. The motion calmed her as much as him. She loved petting his hair and watching the light shimmer off the scattered strands of blond and red combined with the brown. She wouldn't lose him.

Medusa didn't have time to worry about what dangers the cave held. She could handle any animal, no matter how big. She needed to get Darius to a safe, secure spot so she could help him recover.

She lifted him against her chest and rushed inside the cave.

"I should be carrying you," Darius whispered. He tried to laugh but it came out as a cough instead.

"You need to shut up and save your strength."

He grunted but didn't try to speak again.

Medusa carried him to the depths of the cave. It went back a fair distance. Good. That meant she would see any intruders long before they saw her. She expected Darius's cohorts any second. There was no way the mages would pass up recapturing an escaped vampire and a mage traitor.

Low growling from an animal stopped Medusa. She placed Darius on the ground behind her, propped against the cave wall, and then faced the oversized lump ahead of her -- the one she had mistaken for a rock a moment ago. It unfolded itself into a very large, very grumpy bear.

"Medusa."

"Quiet. I'll deal with this and then help you." She stayed close to the wall as she paced forward. A quick snap of her metal ring-covered, floor-length dreadlocks near the bear's head would frighten the animal into running from the cave.

She turned her head in a quick jerk while adding a small telekinetic push with her hand so one lock would hit the bear. Except it didn't. Her hair waved forward as though pushed by a breeze and then settled against her side once more. The usual sound of metal links clashing against one another was absent. That was when Medusa remembered her haircut at the time of her capture. The mage holding her had sheared off her hair at the roots and had taken great delight doing it.

The hair grew back in a matter of seconds, resuming its rope-like style as it grew, but the metal links she used to adorn her hair, turning it into twenty lethal chains the use of which she had honed over the last two hundred years, were gone. She had to come up with another method to deal with the bear, who had only grown more agitated with her movements.

She had vampiric speed and strength as well as sight in the inky darkness of the cave, but she didn't want to hurt the bear, only convince him to leave. Maybe a show of power would do it...

She rushed the bear. He smacked her with his paw, and she let the blow knock her to the ground. It was her turn to grunt when he brought his front legs down on her shoulders. The attack might have crushed a mortal, but she hadn't been mortal in a very long time. Sick as the bear was, she could easily have overpowered him, but instead she let him think he was winning.

He went for her neck, ready to rip her throat out, but she grabbed him in a tight hug. His teeth sank into her shoulder as he tried to pull free. She ignored that pain to see her plan through.

The bear had tasted her blood. She knew what that meant for a human -- a mental connection between them, and for the human, longer life, faster healing, and enhanced strength and speed. She only hoped the same held true for other mammals. "Hear me and understand."

The bear stilled. Medusa could smell fear again, but she didn't have time to reassure him. He could understand her. That was all she needed to know.

She loosened her hold. "Let me up."

He released her and jumped back.

She sat up and held her hand out to him. "You didn't hurt me. I did that so you could understand me." She wiggled her fingers at him. "Come here."

He looked at her one way and then the other before stepping forward so she could touch his head.

"Good boy. Good boy. You're a big, beautiful bear, aren't you?" She smiled when the bear grunted. "My friend and I only need shelter. That's all. We didn't mean to disturb you. Can we stay?"

She smiled when he licked her hand.

"Thank you." She gave his head a pat and then turned her attention back to Darius.

His was another heartbeat that didn't sound steady. Unlike the bear, she couldn't feed Darius her blood. Renewed relationship or not, he was still a mage. He might have helped her escape and professed to love her, but that love might not extend to sharing blood with a vampire. Besides, she had something better to share.

She returned to him and knelt at his side. "Darius?"

His odd eyes -- one blue and one brown -- looked at her, but they were unfocused. He tried to speak, but she covered his lips with her finger. She smiled when he kissed her finger.

"You aren't healing. You need power. Take it from me." She placed his hand over her left breast, above her heart.

Darius rasped, "Such beautiful breasts." His fingers twitched as though he would have squeezed the small yet pert mound but he didn't have that much strength.

"Yes, they're lovely. Now take the energy you need."

"Kill you. No." He pulled at his hand, but she held him.

"It won't kill me. I can die one hundred mortal deaths and still be fine. Take my energy, damn it. I won't lose you again. You said you wouldn't die. Have the centuries turned you into a liar?"

Darius sucked in a breath as he closed his eyes.

She thought he was breathing his last until she felt it. His power. He drew on her life force, pulling the energy through her body and into his own. The more he took, the better he got, but the weaker she felt.

The world turned fuzzy and then black. She really hated mortal death. She liked to avoid it at all costs. Only for Darius would she endure it this time.

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FORGOTTEN LOVER by Zenobia Renquist

FORGOTTEN LOVER by Zenobia Renquist

Caveat Emptor Book Five

Captured by mages, Medusa is more upset at her own weakness than the mages' idea of torture. Once free of them, she plans to slaughter them all.

Except, there is one mage who awakens long buried memories of desire from a past best left forgotten. She knows this man to the depths of her soul, but she and Darius are on opposite sides of a war that has raged for centuries.

It's more than her heart at stake if she gives in to her desires.

Caveat Emptor -- Let the Buyer Beware.

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Caveat Emptor: Forgotten Lover
Zenobia Renquist
All rights reserved.
Copyright ©2011 Zenobia Renquist

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.


The charm's magic might be strong, but she'd seen Theron fight it. If his will could overcome it, then so could hers.

"Get away from her!" That command was shouted by another mage who entered the room. The mage threw power at Medusa's captor, tossing the man against the far wall.

Her captor righted himself and lifted a glowing hand at his assailant. "You dare attack me, Darius?"

"Quincy, you are an idiot." Darius gestured to Medusa. "Look at her eyes."

Medusa managed enough control of her body so she glared at them both.

Quincy stared at her in shock. "That cannot be." He shook his head as though that would make everything better. "The charm is active. She should be nothing but a doll."

"She would have killed you the second you touched her. Obviously your magic isn't up to the task of containing her." Darius held up an envelope. "I'm willing to take her off your hands."

"How much?"

"Well over what you would get if you sold her through normal means." He tossed the envelope.

Quincy held out his hand and beckoned, making the envelope zip over to him. He thumbed through the contents. "You think your magic can overcome everything. Your arrogance will get you killed. Have her, then. When she disposes of you, I will laugh at your stupidity and take her back." Quincy left the room.

Darius watched the man go before facing Medusa. He sighed and shook his head. "Come, vampire." He turned and walked away.

Medusa didn't want to follow him. The charm overrode her senses again and made her walk. Rather than waste energy she might need later, she simply allowed the charm to function. Once night fell, she would have more freedom. She would leave this place, killing as many of the mages as she could in the process. Starting with the mage she followed.

This mage was shorter than she was by four inches. That would make him about five foot seven. He was lean, but she didn't mistake that for weakness. The way he moved spoke of a body trained for fighting. A martial art of some sort, possibly. Most mages were soft from depending on their magic for everything, but not this man.

Martial arts training would mean he had speed. Medusa remembered the way he had arced power at Quincy. The spell had moved quickly, not even allowing Quincy enough time to shield. This Darius might not have vampire speed but he would be a formidable opponent if Medusa didn't time her attack properly.

Some primal part of her cautioned her to be wary. The man walked with his back to her, knowing she could fight the power of the charm. That had to mean he didn't fear that she might attack him, because he knew his powers could overcome any attack she launched.

She sensed none of Quincy's stupidity in this man. That was dangerous. Darius stopped at a doorway, opened it, and then stepped back, waving her forward.

She walked to the middle of the room and then faced him. Now what? Would he continue what Quincy had started? If that was his plan, he better do it quickly. She could feel the sun moving across the sky. The man had less than two hours before sunset. She had no qualms about killing him mid-coitus if it meant she would be free.

He closed the door behind him before stripping off his floor-length mage cloak. The thick, black cloth fell to the floor with a soft thud. Darius rolled his shoulders and then his neck as though happy to be free of the burden. He said, "Now then."

Medusa readied herself to endure as he reached toward her. He touched the charm nestled at the base of her neck. A surge of power shot through her body and then he stepped back. "There."

What?

Medusa lifted her hands. Her movements were her own. Her body obeyed her, and she hadn't had to wait for sunset.

She looked at Darius, instantly on guard. "What are you doing? What trick is this?"

"No trick."

"You're the idiot you proclaimed Quincy to be if you think your magic is faster than me."

"Attack me if it pleases you." He backed away from her and sat on his bed, giving her an expectant look.

She didn't trust his open invitation. It was a trick of some kind. He had a magical trap waiting that would damage her as soon as she neared him. "No."

He raised a questioning eyebrow and looked amused. "Really? Such a pity."

"Are you hoping for death, mage? Is that why you brought me here?"

"Death? No. I hope for something else entirely." He stood and walked over to her. "You would have been wasted on Quincy. I make a much better partner."

With a speed that rivaled her own, Darius grabbed her to him and laid his lips on hers. She stared at him, too surprised to pull back or push him away. He ended the kiss and smiled at her. "You are as sweet as I remember."

"What? I don't know you."

"How cruel of you to say you don't remember me. I remember you quite well. You were so shy in those days."

She pushed away from him then. "What are you talking about? What days?"

"When you were human, Medusa." He nodded at her wide-eyed shocked expression.

"My name. How do you know my name?"

"You told it to me."

"You're human," she whispered. "You cannot have known me when I was human. That was back in the eighteen hundreds."

"I am a mage, Medusa. Not only am I a mage, I am a mage lord. Immortality is child's play to me."

She could only stare at him. A distant memory tickled the edges of her mind. A memory from her time as a weak, subservient human who had cowered at the sight of her own shadow. She hated remembering those days. She wasn't that woman any longer.

But this man... His face triggered those memories.

Odd eyes, one blue and one brown, held laughter and mischief in equal parts. His brown hair riddled with streaks of blond and red brushed his neck and the tops of his ears. Not enough to pull into a ponytail but enough for a lover to run her fingers through.

Medusa knew the softness of that hair. It was like petting a cat. Hair so fine should never top a human's head. At the time she had thought he was some wild beast that had taken human form.

She stumbled back a few steps, not believing the direction of her thoughts. It couldn't be. The man she had known in the past was human. The man before her was human too. But he said he possessed immortality. If that fact had been true then as well...

She rasped, "Lord Arundel?"

"The same, sweet Medusa." He bridged the distance between them and pressed his lips to hers once more. "I will remind you of what you have forgotten."

One part of her fought against the memories his kiss invoked while another part reveled in their return.


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PROVOKED LOVER by Zenobia Renquist

PROVOKED LOVER - Caveat Emptor Book Three by Zenobia Renquist

After an attack leaves Theron's allies scattered, Sicily finds herself in the care of Lamon, a vampire who looks like he would rather kill her than protect her.

The unlikely pair must become very close -- sexual energy is necessary to disrupt the spell the mages are using to track Sicily.

Emotions become confused as their bodies entwine. Sicily finds herself falling for a man she can't have... or can she?

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Caveat Emptor: Provoked Lover
Zenobia Renquist
All rights reserved.
Copyright ©2011 Zenobia Renquist

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.


Sicily stared at her phone in disbelief, not believing the number displayed on the caller ID.

Ryver.

She hadn't heard from Ryver in over a week. That was a big deal for Sicily because of the reports of vampires breaking free of their docility charms and then massacring their human masters. Ryver had purchased a vampire, despite Sicily's efforts to talk her best friend out of the purchase.

Sicily had never liked the idea of owning a vampire. It was too much like playing with matches while living in a house soaked with gasoline. She didn't care how safe the mages proclaimed the vampires to be once under the control of the docility charm. Some part of Sicily had always felt the charms would fail. Her worst fears had come true, and her first worry had been Ryver, who had staunchly refused to return her vampire. Only the promise of a daily phone call to assure Ryver's continued health had kept Sicily from dragging the vampire back to the mages herself.

Then one day, Ryver didn't call. Sicily could only keep her paranoia at bay twenty-four hours before she was on the phone with the cops. No trace of Ryver could be found, not even foul play. The cops said she had merely left and forgot to call. After a week of Sicily's incessant phone calls, the cops elevated Ryver's case to a missing person. Ryver was a vampire owner, so the cops and mages assumed she was dead and her body stuffed in an unmarked grave between here and the vampire territories.

Sicily refused to believe that. She couldn't believe that. Ryver had to be alive. The fact that her number was appearing on Sicily's cell proved it.

Sicily pushed the talk button. "Ryver?"

"Sissy!"

"Oh, God, Ryver. It's good to hear from you." Sicily felt happy tears spring to her eyes. Ryver was alive. Nothing else mattered except for that.

"I'm sorry, Sissy. I'm sorry. I should have called sooner and let you know I'm safe."

"Safe where? Where are you?"

There was a pause so long that Sicily thought the call had dropped. She pulled the phone from her ear and looked at the call status. It was still connected. "Ryver, are you still there?"

"I'm here. I'm with Theron in vampire territory."

All of Sicily's happy feelings stopped. She asked in a deadpan voice, "What?"

"Don't worry. I'm safe."

If Ryver had been standing in front of her, Sicily would have shaken the woman until some sense fell out. "Ryver, are you crazy? How can you think you're safe?" Sicily didn't mean to yell, but that was the only volume that would come out of her mouth.

"I am. Theron is with me."

"So what?"

"Sissy, there's something I didn't tell you before." Ryver sighed into the phone. "When the charms started failing, Theron's did too."

"I knew it. I knew it." Being right didn't make Sicily feel better. "What did he do to you?"

Again there was a long silence. Ryver made a surprised squeak before Sicily could think the call might have cut off. Sicily couldn't interpret the sound or guess what had caused it. "Ryver?"

"Anyway, I'm safe with Theron. I need your help, though."

"You want me to call the cops?" Sicily already had her hand on her landline phone. She had the detective assigned to Ryver's case on speed dial.

"No. Nothing like that. I need some way to remove Theron's charm."

The urge to shake Ryver returned. Sicily settled on squeezing the phone. "Why in the hell would you want to remove the docility charm? If it's still working, make him bring you home."

Sicily would have said more but the sudden appearance of five robe-clad men in her living room gave her pause. She looked at each of the men in turn. She tried to ask them what they were doing in her house but no sound left her lips. Several attempts ended with similar results.

The men's sudden appearance, and her inability to make any sound to alert Ryver or anyone else of this intrusion, panicked Sicily. She tried to scream. That didn't work, so she stopped after the first few seconds of nothing.

On the phone, Ryver said in a rush, "Sissy, I know this is all weird to you, and you probably don't believe me, but I'm perfectly safe with Theron. I want to set him free. I was hoping you could help. Didn't you say you dated a mage back in college?"

Sicily tried to tell Ryver that she had more pressing problems than Theron and his stupid docility charm. When her mouth still refused to make sound, she tried to end the call. Sicily thought Ryver was crazy for willingly consorting with a vampire -- and Sicily still had doubts about the willing part -- but Sicily wouldn't let the mages get her. Her fingers refused to move, which meant she couldn't push the end button or toss away the phone.

Ryver asked, "Sissy?"

Sicily found her mouth moving of its own accord. "I'm still here. Yes, I dated a mage in college, but I haven't talked to him since we broke up."

Those weren't her words. Sicily couldn't stop the words from being spoken or say more to warn Ryver that Sicily wasn't the one talking.

"Oh."

"I am friends with another mage, however. You're in luck, since he happens to be a vampire sympathizer."

"You never mentioned him before."

"You never mentioned your vampire was loose." Sicily wanted to snort at that flippant response. It was something she would actually say, and might have said if she had control of her mouth.

Ryver gave a dry laugh. "That's true."

"I'll give him a call, ask him about the charm and then call you back. Okay? You're going to stay by the phone, right?"

"Yes. I'll be right here. Thanks, Sissy."

"No problem. Bye." Sicily pushed the end button, again moving against her will.

Obviously the mages surrounding her were the culprits. She glared at the man standing directly in front of her.

He nodded to her and said, "I am Mage Lord Quincy. These other fellows are my associates. Your mention of removing the docility charm alerted us to you."

Sicily had heard rumors that the mages monitored the phones. Now she had proof. If she lived past this encounter, she would blast the Internet with the news.

Quincy said, "Your friend has been led astray by vampiric suggestion. We can help her."

"How?" Sicily gasped in surprise at being able to talk again. "I can talk."

One of the other mages said, "We had to command your voice and body for a short time. It was necessary to keep you from alerting your friend to our presence. The puppet spell is now ended."

Sicily snapped, "You shouldn't have done it at all."

Quincy said, "That is in the past. We plan to help your friend by rescuing her from the vampires." He twirled his hand, making a round jewel appear on his palm, and held it out to her. "This is what your friend requires to remove the docility charm. Once it is removed, it will transport you and your friend back here."

She didn't want to take it. No one had ever accused Sicily of being naÔve or gullible. She didn't believe for a second that these five mages had entered her house without permission, after spying on her conversation, just to help out Ryver and her vampire.

She stepped back while shaking her head. "Not going to happen."

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CHARMED LOVER by Zenobia Renquist

CHARMED LOVER - Caveat Emptor Book One by Zenobia Renquist

Caveat Emptor - let the buyer beware...

Ryver is one of the many humans who owns a vampire. She purchased Theron for home security. When the magic charms keeping the vampires docile and subservient suddenly start failing, Theron goes from protector to threat. A nationwide, mandatory recall of all vampires is in effect. Ryver is ready to comply, but a night of passion spent in Theron's arms changes her mind.

It's only a matter of time before someone figures out Ryver and Theron's secret. With the threat of mages bearing down on them, Ryver has to decide if she's willing to give up her lover - or her freedom.

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Caveat Emptor: Charmed Lover
Zenobia Renquist
All rights reserved.
Copyright ©2011 Zenobia Renquist

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.

Ryver came awake with a startled scream. The man touching her inner thigh moved his hand higher. She struggled against him and tried to get away but he had hold of her ankle.
"Theron!"

"Here."

She froze. In the darkness she could just make out Theron's features on the man attacking her. The glint of something red at Theron's throat caught her eye.

The docility charm was red.

It had failed.

The complete horror of that realization kept her paralyzed.

Theron smiled at her, flashing his fangs in the dim light. "I do believe you asked what I would do to you if I were free. Shall I show you, Ryver?" He used her ankle and pulled her closer to him.

Fear kept her from answering or even trying to escape.

The charm had failed.

Theron was loose.

She should have taken him back. She shouldn't have trusted some stupid green glow over her common sense. She should never have gotten him in the first place.

Theron leaned into her. Only then did she try to move away.

She pushed at Theron's face and kicked her free leg, hoping to hit something sensitive. He still had one of her ankles trapped in his grip, and her body was half pinned beneath his, though he braced most of the weight on his other hand which was planted firmly on the bed next to her waist. Her struggles didn't faze him. Theron chuckled as he continued his descent. His mouth was aimed for her throat.

He planned to bleed her dry.

At least it wouldn't be a painful death.

She hoped.

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ERIS by D. Renee Bagby

Book one in D. Renee Bagby's Eternal Truths Series.

Time is on their side and they can be together, assuming the truth doesn't ruin everything first.

Immortals born in the thirteenth century, Lucien Riordan and Ranulf Styr have waited centuries to be reunited with their love. Want for her cemented their friendship through time, even as it tore it apart. She changed their lives, made them want better, and they plan to show her that. There's only one catch - she's never met them before.

Eris Brue is flattered by Lucien and Ranulf's attention, but they are her bosses. She doesn't want to get tangled up in an office romance, especially not with two men. Their joint seduction overcomes her resolve, and she gives in even though she knows they are keeping secrets that could doom their relationship.

Centuries of planning have finally come to fruition. Lucien and Ranulf have a short amount of time to make Eris love them, because once time has her, everything could come to an end.

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Excerpt:

“You can’t take us both,” Ranulf said. “We still haven’t decided who will be your first.”

“Shouldn’t that be my decision?” she asked.

“Choose then.”

“Right now?”

Both men nodded.

She wanted their relationship to progress, but she hadn’t thought they’d put her on the spot. All things told, she pretty much put herself there.

Lucien asked, “Well?”

“I…” She looked at Lucien and then at Ranulf.

“You can’t, can you?” Ranulf said, crossing his arms.

She rolled her eyes with an annoyed sound. “Fine. Then you two decide.”

“We can’t,” they said in unison.

“This is stupid.” She dug through her pockets. “I’ll just flip a coin.”

“How romantic of you.” Ranulf winked at her when she glared at him.

Lucien touched her shoulder, and she faced him. “Why the sudden urge to do this now when you denied us so adamantly last night? And even denied yourself for so long before us?”

“I never said I denied myself. I may be a virgin, but that’s only a technicality since masturbation doesn’t count.”

She thought her words would shock them, but they showed no reaction. Lucien watched her with an expectant look.

“It’s different with you.” She looked back at Ranulf. “Both of you. I always said I would never be part of a polyamorous relationship and here I am.” She faced Lucien. “Everything is different now. All my other relationships always felt awkward and forced. This feels right, and I want more.”

Her words should have made them happy. Or at least gotten a response with similar sentiments.

She waited three more breaths for one of them to say something. When they remained silent, she asked, “Why does it feel like you’re pushing me away?”

“We’re not,” Lucien said.

“Then what is this?”

Ranulf asked, “Is it so strange that we want to wait?”

She laughed. “A willing woman and men who want to wait. That has to be one of the signs of the coming apocalypse.” She searched Lucien’s eyes for some sign of what he was thinking. “You don’t want to, do you?”

“Want?” Lucien grabbed her to him.

Ranulf said his name in that tone of warning again, but Lucien ignored him. He shoved his mouth against Eris’s.

The force of the kiss and the urgency behind it scared her just a little. She tried to pull away for a little breather, but Lucien’s hold only tightened.

He pushed his hand under her shirt and cupped her breast. His other hand went to the front of her jeans.

“Lucien!” Ranulf yanked Eris back and warded Lucien off with an outstretched hand.

Eris couldn’t help moving closer to Ranulf. She hugged his arm, and he shifted so his body shielded her more.

Lucien had a wild look in his eyes, but he made no move to get to her. With a growl, he turned his back to her. He rasped, “Want has nothing to do with it. You aren’t ready.”

“Lucien, I—”

“Please don’t.” He glanced at her. With a shake of his head, he switched his gaze to Ranulf. “Thank you for stopping me.”

Ranulf nodded.

Eris felt like there was more going on than just her close call. She wanted to ask, but there was a thread of tension running between all of them.

Lucien straightened. “I have something I must do,” he said in a voice that was a little deeper than his usual. He walked away without another word.

Eris attributed that to the emotional scene. She looked up at Ranulf. He didn’t return her gaze until Lucien had left the room.

Ranulf said, “You’re playing with fire when you tempt us.”



ADULT EXCERPT



Eris jerked awake with a scared gasp. Someone was touching her. She pushed at the hand between her legs as she tried to get away.

“Eris.”

Ranulf’s calm voice stilled her struggles. She stared at him for a second before she truly saw him. “Ranulf?”

“Yes.”

He moved his hand, sliding it between her rear cheeks. She winced as he slid the pad of two fingers over her opening.

“Sore?”

“A little.” She understated her condition only because certain parts of her body knew of the pleasure to come and didn’t want Ranulf to stop.

“Then I’ll go slowly.” He moved away only to return a second later.

Roses greeted her nose, and her body reacted instantly. A tingling burned between her legs. She could feel moisture rushing to greet whatever part Ranulf cared to touch her with.

The last thing she wanted was to develop a Pavlovian response to the smell of roses. Telling Ranulf that wouldn’t help since Pavlov hadn’t even been born yet, thus the reference to his discovery would be lost.

Though it didn’t matter since thinking took a backseat to pleasure when Ranulf slid one finger deep inside her rear. She bucked against his fingers.

He only had to touch her thigh for her legs to fall open, inviting him to do more.

He chuckled. “So eager now. Naughty as well. Did you know I would be here and that is why left off your coverings?”

If he expected an answer, he would be disappointed since Eris had lost the ability to speak when his mouth descended to her nether lips. She made little mewing noises as she panted and clutched at Ranulf’s hair.

“I should have known,” Lucien said from the doorway. He closed the door behind him and crossed his arms.

Eris looked at him. He shook his head with amusement and approached the bed. Gone was the anger that had greeted her and Ranulf the first time Lucien caught them together so many days ago. Neither man even showed surprise if they interrupted each other.

Ranulf didn’t stop or show any other indication that he’d heard Lucien. But the man wouldn’t be ignored.

Lucien thumped Ranulf on the back of the head.

“I’m busy,” Ranulf grumbled.

The vibrations of his voice almost sent Eris over the edge.

“Busy was what you were earlier. This is recreation at the expense of your work.”

Eris knew what was coming despite Lucien trying to urge Ranulf to leave her. She watched Lucien move along the bedside so he stood over her.

He smoothed his hand over her forehead and said, “I understand, however.”

That was the only warning before Lucien pulled her chemise over her head, tossed it aside, and latched his mouth onto one of her breasts. She arched beneath him.

Lucien gathered her close and shifted her, to Ranulf’s annoyance. The man made an angered noise at being interrupted. Eris also was a little upset at Ranulf’s mouth leaving. His fingers still moved inside her rear, but the pleasure was halved.

Lucien moved her until she sat astride him and he buried himself deep inside her. “So warm and ready. Thank you, Ranulf.”

“That was not my intention.” Ranulf kissed Eris’s shoulder. He whispered in her ear, “Ready?”

She nodded.

Ranulf removed his fingers. The blunt head of his arousal pressed against her opening. She couldn’t help tensing as the soreness returned.

“Relax,” Ranulf whispered. He laid another kiss on her shoulder.

She nodded but couldn’t seem to make her body obey.

Lucien rubbed his finger over her nub and shifted so his need caressed within her, making her whole body turn liquid. His little motions were enough to make her stop tensing and welcome Ranulf properly.

Ranulf sighed and murmured a thank you. His gratitude was probably to Lucien, not to her, but she didn’t care.

The men moved, and the world turned into one large pleasurable sensation. Panting their names in turn was all she was capable of.

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