SENSUAL DELIGHTS by Kate Richards

SENSUAL DELIGHTS by Kate Richards

Cookie Club Romance Book 4

Hannah Prynne, proprietor of Sensual Delights, small-town purveyor of fine bath and body products has just about everything she needs to be happy. Her business is growing, as is her daughter, Pansy, and she’s achieving some success at regaining her family’s ancestral magic. Her single foray into romance ended with the guy bailing the second she learned she was pregnant. So she’s a little lonely. She’ll just avoid her sexy new neighbor and rely on her childhood friends. They may be far away but they always have her back.

Jerrin Stryder’s lineage reaches all the way back to Merlin, jet-setting wizards who have more money and magic than they know what to do with. And an attitude to match. In an effort to find real happiness, Jerrin takes on a “normal” magic-free life in a ramshackle fixer-upper…next door to Hannah, who isn’t quite the “normal” woman he thinks she is.

Can a witch with a desire for power and a wizard attempting to flee it find happiness in one another’s arms? The sparks are there, if they only let them burst into flame.

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Excerpt:All her cookie club girlfriends had waxed enthusiastic at her description of the neighbor with his dark hair, dark eyes, and enticing body. And when she whispered the news that he was standing in the window, looking over at her house—while she sat in her nightgown, chatting with them—they encouraged her to stop chatting and wave him over.

The house had been vacant so long, she hadn’t even thought of anyone being able to see her from there—but she hadn’t moved or pulled the curtains.

Then he closed the blinds, and she breathed a sigh of relief and disappointment. Headed for the kitchen to make some jasmine tea.

I guess he went to bed. Flannel isn’t his thing.

She returned with her mug and froze. Half a dozen flimsy nighties and a thong lay scattered around the room. She broke into laughter, unable to stay pouty with such good friends.

Hannah lifted the tablet and tried to glower. “Who did this?”

As the girls chorused denial—at least one lying through her teeth—the thud of boots on the porch froze her mid-giggle. She tiptoed to peek through the peephole.

“He’s here, what should I do?”

One by one, her friends blinked out. They’d come back on and talk about her behind her back once she went offline. Bitches.

But they loved her, and they were right. A woman didn’t just ignore a handsome hunk who came to call—especially a woman five years out from her last sexual experience. Who ever said witches were sluts?

She opened the door.

“Jerrin?” Halfway down the steps, he spun to face her. “Hi, did you need something?” A quickie maybe? With her mind made up, her only concern was keeping things quiet enough to not wake Pansy.

“I saw your light on and thought maybe you couldn’t sleep either.”

Not quite ten o’clock. Sure, insomnia is rampant when only farmers are in bed.

“I was just chatting online with some friends.” She stepped back, clearing the doorway. “Would you like to come in? Have a cup of jasmine tea?”

“Sure, if it’s not too much trouble.” Whiskey scented his breath. But he didn’t stumble or slur his words. Maybe he’d just had a drink since he couldn’t sleep. Old man’s hours indeed.

“No trouble at all. I made a whole pot. Make yourself comfortable, and I’ll get you a cup.” She scooted into the kitchen, her heart beating fast. Easy to be brave, when the man in question was outside, but now that he stood in her living room, could she go through with it?

Not that he’d asked.

What if he did?

What if he didn’t?

Returning with the cup and a plate of non-spelled oatmeal bars—she’d need to get that chocolate milk when she drove Pansy to school—she found him in the middle of the room, facing away from her. “Don’t you want to sit down?” Hannah set the cookies on the coffee table and straightened.

Jerrin turned toward her and waved a hand toward the couch. “Where?”

In horror, she took in the furniture littered with skimpy lingerie. “Give me a minute.” She gathered the offending garments and took them into her bedroom, tossing them in a corner and pausing a moment to let the heat in her cheeks die down from a raging furnace. She considered changing clothes, not to one of the nighties—because her humiliation had killed any plans of seduction she’d held—but maybe to sweats. Deciding to brave it out, she smoothed her many-times-washed, comforting flannel and glided back into the living room.

Jerrin sat on the couch, arms stretched over the back. “Lingerie party?”

Her cheeks flooded with heat again. “Gag gifts from friends, I, uh…needed to put them away.”

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FOUND by Julia Talbot

FOUND by Julia Talbot

Elemental Ops Three

Elemental Ops has been dealing with good dragons and bad guys for just long enough that they think they might survive. Second-in-command Jack learns to bond with his dragon companion, Serena, just in time for all hell to break loose again in the form of government analyst Lane, who shows up at the dragon stronghold to find out why the team went AWOL. Jack's got his sense of humor, and his lusty appetite, back just in time to handle Lane while the other Ops members are still on the mend.

Lane knows he's only on this assignment because he screwed up his last mission. What's an analyst doing on missions anyway? Sexy agents like One-Eyed Jack are not for him, but he can't deny their instant connection, or his new bond with baby dragon Geri. Can Jack and Lane figure out how to keep his new family safe from the government bureaucrats who want their hands on the dragons, and the Ops team?

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Excerpt:

Found (Elemental Ops 3)
Julia Talbot
All rights reserved.
Copyright ©2014 Julia Talbot

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 dragon.

Jesu Cristo. What the hell was old Jack gon' do with an orange, highfalutin, female dragon?

Jacques looked at Serena, who had color back in her scales now that she wasn't wasting away thanks to him ignoring her. He smiled a little. He was gonna love her. That was what he'd do. After that, well, he had no idea.

Serena looked at him, rolled her pretty, multi-faceted eyes. Silly man.

"Well, I didn't know dragons existed 'til just these last days," Jack said out loud. Talking inside not out was gonna be odd.

She snorted, but she was pleased, he could tell. Her tail said so, the end flicking his ear. Crazy beast.

He glanced around, realizing the other dragons, and his team, had left them alone. Shit, how much time had passed? Hours? Days? His belly rumbled like Keon's big dragon Damien was in there.

Her head tilted. Hungry?

"I am, cherie. Starving." He could eat an alligator.

Show you. Serena led the way, making oddly musical noises. Dragon humming.

He could hear the echo of it in his head, too, like she was only being polite making noises out loud. In his mind, she was singing operas. Jack grinned. It did scramble his brain a bit.

"You got to be so girly-girl? Can't you be macho?" He poked her haunch.

She fluttered her eyelashes at him, then bared her teeth, showing a line of long, needle-sharp weapons that would rip his arm off.

"Well, now, that kind of fierce I can get behind."

"Hey." Gig, their Elemental Ops tech guy wandered into the hall, his little Asian dragon clinging to his shoulder. "Shannon is cooking."

"Good. God, I'm starving to death."

The little beast named Cor hid from Jack, face in Gig's throat.

"Don't worry, little dude. I won't let him eat you." Gig stroked Cor's tail.

What a weird turn life had taken.

Keon wandered by, caressing Serena along the way, the odd little man Zen as hell. That crazy hair and mostly naked body still made Jack stare. Lord, he must need to get laid bad if he was jealous that Ice was getting some of that. The scent of bacon and onions hit his nose and sex left his mind in a rush.

"Smells good, Shan." Jack walked into the big kitchen and smiled at the big redheaded soldier who'd been his friend for so long. "No dragon for you, huh?"

"Nope. I'm not hook-up-able."

"Shit, don't say that around here." Ice came in, that white-blond crew cut growing out a little, the smile on Ice's face making Jacques blink. Lord, this place was good for the man.

Shan snorted. "True story. You guys are caught through the..."

Ice cleared his throat. "Little ears."

Shannon blinked, then broke into a huge, booming laugh. "Dude, they're not babies, are they? I mean, they're dragons."

Not a baby. Serena sounded so put out.

"No, but I think Cor might be, sweet girl."

He's tiny. Scared. I am not scared. Grown up.

You're my so brave girl. Jack was amazed at how fast he could go from denial to pure love. He'd been a pure-D idiot, trying to push his dragon away, and his Serena, well, shit. She was the finest young lady he'd ever known. Strong. Brave.

She trilled happily and rubbed her head against his arm, and he scratched her eye ridges, pushing gently.

"Look at you two. You're basking, which, okay, she's a lizard."

Serena was going to bite Shannon. Jack saw the image clearly in his head.

"Shut up, Shan. You just wait. Your turn is coming." Gig sounded so sure.

"Nonsense." Shannon reached into the cooler and pulled out a metric fuck ton of bacon. Jack stared, wondering where that had come from.

"Who does logistics for the dragons?" he asked Ice.

"Keon and some guy in town his family has known for years."

"Some guy? They have all these kids up here and it's some guy?"

Ice's blue eyes narrowed at him. "What are you trying to say, Jack?"

"That we need protection. Real protection for these guys who are trying to come up here and mess with our dragons."

Ice nodded slowly, crossing his arms over his chest to lean back against the counter. "Okay. I can buy that. I guess that means you're staying around, Mister I'm Not a Dragon Man?"

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THE SAPPHIRE DRAGON by Tianna Xander

THE SAPPHIRE DRAGON by Tianna Xander

Dragon Bound # 7

Daisy is one of the strongest of the Flowers sisters. So why does she wish to shun her magic?

Daisy hates magic and would do anything to shun her latent powers. She wants nothing more than to live a normal life. However, with her unorthodox upbringing, she isn’t certain what normal is. All she knows is that she doesn’t want to marry a dragon who would inevitably make her powers stronger.

The Sapphire Dragon knows Daisy doesn’t want to live a magical life, but pursues her anyway. Posing as a human, he’s surprised when she refuses to associate with him at her sister’s party one moment and then decides to have dinner with him in another. How long before she figures out the human male she’s falling in love with is really the dragon she’s trying to escape?

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~Excerpt~

Daisy’s heart skipped a beat as the man looked toward her. He smiled, probably at no one in particular, and began to cross the room. He was handsome in a geeky-bookish sort of way and just her type.

Thick black-framed glasses hid a portion of his face along with a lock of thick, black hair that fell carelessly over his right eye. He almost looked like a comic book super hero come to life. Though, thinking him the superhero type was probably a little ambitious, the man was the epitome of the handsome English lord from all of the romance novels she had ever read. Tall and on the thin side of muscular, he was quite handsome.

Her breath caught in her throat as she watched him approach. Normal seemed written all over him. If there was anything Daisy wanted from her life, it was normal. She hated witchcraft and she hated the fact that she could screw up something—or someone—at any time, with just a look. However, what she hated the most was the fact that she couldn’t control any of her powers.

The scent of something burning in one of the chafing dishes had her closing her eyes with frustration. She wasn’t sure which one it was, but one of these dragons brought out her powers. She had to get out of here before he found her.

She didn’t want to use her powers, they were dangerous. If she didn’t burn something down, she would freeze it, or worse.

That was the main reason why she kept her wand buried in the back of her underwear drawer, only taking it out and dusting it off when her sisters insisted she must.

She slowly shook her head when she thought of her sisters. She had twelve of them. Every one of them were adopted, just as she had been and every one of them were just as crappy with their spell casting as she was, with the exception of those who had found their mates.

Turning away from handsome Mr. Normal, who still headed her way, Daisy made a face. She didn’t want a mate, not like that. She wanted normal—like the man walking in her direction, with a smile he aimed right at her.

“Hello. I don’t think we’ve met.” The man held out his hand. “I’m Jarrod. I live across the way.” He crooked his thumb behind him and extended his arm again. He clearly wanted to shake her hand.

Around here, across the way, translated into the estate next door.

“Oh. I didn’t think—” She placed her hand in his and blushed when he bent over and kissed the back of it.

Straightening, he laughed. “I’m sure you wouldn’t.” He indicated his worn slacks and button down shirt. He didn’t seem to notice her blush, thank goodness.

She didn’t want to look like some sort of a bumpkin.

“No one thinks I could live in this neighborhood.” He made a face. “Let’s just say it’s old money and leave it at that, shall we? I’ve never really wanted it, but my father thrust it upon me quite against my will.”

His father had probably died and left it to him. Parents had a way of inconveniencing one in that manner. Daisy’s parents had died quite suddenly, leaving her with a condo at the beach. She would rather have had her mother and father than the condo, but there was nothing she could do about it.

None of them had known what would happen when her sister, Rose, had cast that spell. They certainly hadn’t expected her to blow up their parents. They also hadn’t expected to find out that their parents had been quite well off. They left each of their seven sons with a small nest egg and each of their thirteen daughters with a piece of property that suited their personalities and personal needs.

Daisy loved the beach. She always had. It was away from everyone during the off season and the beach season only lasted four months out of the year. It was perfect. She loved the alone time. If she were truthful, she would say she lived for it.

“I can relate.” Daisy gave him a wry smile. If she could understand anything, it was having things thrust upon her—witchcraft, unwanted magical powers, the possibility of harming someone every time she got near a particular dragon. Though, she’d been lucky so far. So far, she hadn’t had a bout of uncontrollable magic like her sisters had…until tonight. “I’ve had a lot of things forced upon me.”

Reaching out, she took his proffered hand. “I’m Daisy, by the way.” She glanced around, trying to find one of her sisters. Usually, one couldn’t swing a cat without hitting one of them. She did have twelve sisters, after all. It was a given that one of them would go tattle to her brother-in-law, Drake, that she was talking with a human.

“So what are you doing here?” She so wanted to reach out, push his sliding glasses back up his nose and brush that lock of hair out of his eyes.

“Oh, the lady of the house invited me when she found out that I had unexpectedly returned from Greece.” He smiled, stuck his hands in the pockets of his expensive-looking, but worn, black slacks and tilted his head toward the door. “Dancing’s not really my thing, but it would be wonderful if we could take a walk in the garden together. The music in here is kind of loud, don’t you think?”

So, he isn’t perfect after all. Daisy glanced toward the door, a little disappointed. She loved dancing. She sighed as she took his offered arm and let him lead her toward the patio door. “That’s too bad,” she said as they headed out on to the veranda. “I love to dance.”

“Well,” he said with a wink, “no one’s perfect. Everyone has some sort of flaw. It’s best we learn to get used to them and move on. Don’t you think?” He grinned, flashing an adorable dimple that made her go weak in the knees.

“Are you okay?” He caught her as she stumbled.

“Um…y-yes.” Good grief! She was stammering now. How adolescent.

Taking a deep breath, she looked up into eyes so blue they appeared to be the same color as the sapphires in the earrings her mother had left to her.

“I’m sorry. I seem to be clumsy today. I don’t know why…” She glanced around as the music changed to a slow dance, and she couldn’t help but wish the man knew how to waltz at least.

“Is there something wrong?” he asked as he pulled her toward a wrought iron bench surrounded by roses. He waited until she sat before seating himself. So…he was a gentleman. That was another tic on the plus side on the list of his attributes—that and his yummy English accent.

Daisy took a deep breath. “I love the smell of roses. Don’t you?” She adored her sister’s gardens here in England and in America. If there was one thing she could say about April’s husband, Drake, it was that he had taste and it wasn’t all in his mouth.

“Yes, I do.” He nodded, his gaze burning over her face. “I think they’re absolutely beautiful.”

Laughing, she asked, “Are we even talking about the same thing?”

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THE STAR CATCHER by Molly Dean

THE STAR CATCHER by Molly Dean

When fifteen year-old Hawke feels fed up with not being able to walk, he escapes in his mind to a misty island filled with moorlands, ancient forests, and monolithic stones: a place where he can move and run and accomplish heroic quests.

His life is turned upside down, though, when he's thrust into this dream world and finds it real! He becomes 'Star Catcher.' The job? Track and collect shooting stars or meteors sent from a more advanced civilization, which have powers that protect the island from approaching evil. He finds many helpers along the way: a serving girl who can communicate with animals and create light, an alluring mermaid, a savvy one-eyed crow, and an old farmer with a secret.

Hawke must also discover what's going on inside the imposing mansion called Moon House. Why do rooms change? Why do objects mysteriously shift? Who lives inside the old forest behind the place and why is the Star Catcher forbidden to enter it? And most importantly, who are Hawke and his stars really battling against? An evil genius? A pirate-like group called the Shrikers who have taken over the island? An Ancient Magic? Or, maybe an aspect of himself?

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Excerpt:

Hawke turned away from the Hedgerow Trail and found the rock path leading to the cove, the place where all of his adventures began. He scrambled down upon it, and after a few minutes, stood watching the waves, green and glassy, curling into the shore. The water looked clearer even than before, reminding Hawke of pictures he had seen of Caribbean waters, full of all the blues and greens that could be concocted on a painter’s palette. Hawke drew forward, peering down to the ocean’s bottom. He remembered the feel of warm saltiness, the healing properties of the water’s liquid massage. Kind of like the moving fingers of the nurses at home, except that this sea treatment worked. It had actually worked.

He carefully set his satchel into an alcove between rocks, and marked the spot with the fragment of an old gray scallop shell. Ripping off his Moon House clothes, he waded out a little way and then dove forward, splashing and kicking. ‘I am free,” he whispered the words aloud, feeling a need to define the moment.

Swimming a few more strokes, he decided that this cove was the only place he felt truly at peace, truly himself. Not at Moon House, not in Archenwood, certainly not at home in his hospital bed. A fish swam by and nibbled at his toes. A head with tangled copper locks surfaced in front of him. The mermaid!

“Aha! The Star Catcher returns. And no one is free,” she said. The mermaid drew closer, radiating a clarity and vividness. Did these qualities emanate from her specifically, or from the environment around her? Was her hair really such a pure copper hue? Her eyes, such a crystal blue-green color? She flaunted salt and sunlight on her face.

Looking into those eyes, Hawke lost his shyness and began to feel bold…even, reckless. “I am free,” he told her. “At least for now. And you. You are free.”

“Perhaps. At least for now,” she echoed in her taunting, musical voice.

All at once he wanted to kiss her. Was it a possible to kiss a mermaid, same as you did a human? As if reading his intentions, she drew back, treading water. “So how goes it, Star Catcher? Are your pockets overflowing with stars?” She gazed up and down his bare chest, half out of the water, and laughed out loud.

“I’ve caught one,” he replied, turning sheepish. “It’s hard work. Really. The stars don’t just fall like rain, you know. You have to plot and plan, and be just at the right place at the right time.”

“The plotting and planning must be dreadful.” She rolled her eyes, as if making fun of him. “The Red Star. They say it brings love and joy to those who touch it. I want to see the star, to hold it in my hands. I might let you kiss me, if you’d show it to me.”

Again, she’d read his mind. He glanced at the rocks where his clothes and satchel lay concealed, and turned back to her.

The mermaid’s eyes glowed as she twisted a wavy lock around one finger. She moved a tiny bit closer, and so did Hawke to her. “The kiss first,” he demanded.

“The star first.” Her eyes shone merry but uncompromising.

MIND YOUR GODDESS by Flossie Benton Rogers

MIND YOUR GODDESS by Flossie Benton Rogers

Wytchfae 3

Razzle dazzle -- cool jazz and hot kisses

The Goddess Epona is breathless over a lover’s tryst with Eshigel, the dark Guardian of the Between. Before she can meet him, she must hear the pleas of her Dark of the Moon supplicants. Strange requests originate from a captive little girl and a succubus seeking revenge. Then, Epona is attacked and abducted.

Epona awakens stranded in the human realm in the Roaring 20’s. With her powers nullified, she assumes the guise of a flapper in a speakeasy. Knowing the little girl is nearby, Epona seeks to save her.

Eshigel rushes to find his missing Goddess. To gain information he undergoes a dangerous rite involving a half woman and half serpent Lamia. After locating Epona, he vows to protect his flapper Goddess from the demons set on her destruction. Can a Goddess and her dark Guardian overcome misfortune and reclaim their love?

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Story Excerpt

“Lady?” A hand tapped her shoulder and she forced herself to open her eyes. A man with slick black hair who was dressed to the nines in a dapper lightweight suit of a long ago style, knelt beside her. 

Relieved that the innate fae power of understanding languages had not deserted her, she whispered, “Who are you?”

“I’m Benny.”

“Where am I?”

“This is sunshiny Florida.

“What year is it, Benny?”

“1925. Say, are you in trouble? Do you need a sawbones, or did you jump overboard?” His tone held a note of jocularity that made her wince. Still, if he could get her out of this blaring sun until she had the strength to heal her weakened condition, she could withstand his cheerfulness.

She bit down hard on her lip. Not only had her abductors catapulted her down to the human dimension, they had pitched her back in time. “Please, help me up.” The wispy quality of her voice shocked her.

Instead of assisting her to rise as she expected, the man snapped his fingers twice, and a younger, brawny man trotted over. “Yes sir?”

“Be a gentleman and help the lady. Put her in one of the cabins—Margie’s.”

Epona didn’t like the sound of that but figured once inside and away from the blinding sunlight her head would stop hammering with such violence and she could check on her Goddess crystal. Using considerable effort, she assisted the beefy young man as he got an arm under her and raised her to a standing position. 

Although her legs seemed to be made of jelly, with his support she was able to untwist the sodden gown from her legs. Patting her salt stiffened hair, she murmured, “I must look a fright.”

“Not at all, cupcake.”

The hell with it. Her appearance was the least of her worries. When her wobbly legs buckled, and before she could utter a protest, her rescuer scooped her up into muscled arms and plodded through the white sand toward a bright yellow building set back from the beach. He continued around to the back where a row of neat cottages stood. 

The black haired man followed and when they came to a door, he knocked in a rhythmic rat a tat tat. Some kind of secret code, she thought. The door swung open to reveal two other stocky men. “Oh, it’s you, Benny.”

“Of course it’s me. Didn’t I give the knock, moron? Break’s over. Quit your yammering and open the bedroom door.”

A few moments later, after more chattering and remonstrations from Benny, Epona reclined on a narrow cot with no headboard. Propped up atop scrawny pillows and covered with a thin blanket, she took stock of her rescuers, while Benny eyed her from just inside the doorway. The other men peered over his shoulder. “What’s your name?”

She didn’t answer him.

“Muddled melon, huh? Well, never mind, we’ll call you Angel for now. You kinda look like one in that getup, or a bride. There’s not a hot-headed groom on the warpath behind you, is there?” 

Her fae ability with languages apparently wasn’t working at full throttle after all. Although she didn’t fully comprehend what he meant, she responded to his questioning look with a fervent shake of her head. 

“Good. You either need to dry off or dry out. Which is it?”



Romance Excerpt:

Slipping out the side door a few minutes later, Epona removed her shoes and plodded through the fine grained sand, away from the business lights and into one of the gazebos. She didn’t see Eshigel anywhere. Leaning over the railing, she stared out at the night. A crescent moon hung low in the sky, a silver slipper, and stars sparkled red, blue, and silver on the horizon. If she could just reach far enough, she could pluck one right out of the inky darkness. 

A footfall sounded on the wooden steps behind her. Gasping, she turned around toward the large, dark form, ready to scratch out the eyes of a stalker if it turned out to be necessary. Moonlight glinted on the long dark hair of the Guardian of the Between. 

With a sigh of relief, she reached out to him.

Without a word, Eshigel closed the distance between them, enclosing her within his arms and pulling her up against his warm, comforting body. They stood like that for a long moment. 

His breath tantalized her temple, evoking lightheadedness, and a shuddering moan slipped from between her lips. Her hands slid in slow motion up his chest, reveling in their hard contours. 

A finger lifted her chin, and his mouth claimed hers, seeking, probing, and then plundering. 

She opened to him, and with fervor, returned his kiss. Her electric response was proof positive of the hold he had over her and the wild, insatiable flame that burned between them. His hair cascaded over her cheek, and she entwined her fingers in its silky luxury. She melted against him, needing to have this man, be one with him, and blot out the rest of the thirteen worlds. 

The effect of his touch made her heart race and her breath come short. Eshigel’s mere presence took the oxygen from any room, and even at the seaside, with its abundant moist, salty air, there seemed not enough to go around. 

He cupped her breast, and through her clothing, caressed it with a tenderness that caused her to tremble. His hand shook a little, and she became aware of the effect she had on him. A ripple of pleasure trickled up her spine. 

“Eppie, I feared I had lost you.” His low, husky voice was velvety rough against her skin. 

She kissed the apex of his throat, swirling her tongue and catching the hot flesh between her teeth. 

He groaned. “I want you, Goddess.” 

At his words, she took a shuddering breath and gazed up at him. “Let’s slip down to the beach before someone comes looking for me.”

She hurried him toward a secluded copse of palm trees and seagrass she’d found on her first day of exploration. “Let’s sit here on this sand bar.”

He kissed her fingers, and then turned her hand over and pressed his mouth against her palm. His lips brushed feather kisses up her forearm.

As tingles rippled over her skin, she shivered in delight. Caressing the rough stubble on his chin with gentle fingers, she leaned back against his shoulder and lifted her face to his.

He captured her mouth, and she responded with fervent heat, seeking his tongue and fingering locks of his silky hair. It was impossible to be close enough to him, and she burned for him to possess her. Everything else receded until only Eshigel was real. Inflamed, she worked to unbutton his shirt, impatient for more of him to touch.

The night air caressed her skin as he removed her clothing, and then his. He took her in his arms once more, his aura spiraling around her, cocooning the two of them in tendrils of delicious heat. His low voice and words drugged her senses. “You are my Goddess, and you always will be.”

“Darling Eshigel.”

He kissed the soft area of her navel, and it was clear he paid loving care to the possibility of tenderness there as he continued to bring her body to life in the exquisite tropical night. 

She reveled in his solicitous attention but needed more from him and urged him on with inflamed movements and urgent strokes of her tongue. 

“I must have you, Eppie.” His voice sounded as hoarse as if no words had ever passed his lips before.

“Oh, yes, Eshigel. Please.”

“Fly with me, Goddess.”

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SELECTED LOVERS by Zenobia Renquist

SELECTED LOVERS by Zenobia Renquist

Caveat Emptor 7.5 - spin-off


Love, like peace, is never easy where two men are concerned.

The war is over, and now it’s time to rebuild. Rhea has been chosen at random to sit on a joint council to help decide future relations between mages, vampires, and humans. Jeremy and Colm are appointed her guards. What should have been a simple escort assignment becomes so much more when a spell meant to kill ignites a passionate encounter with Rhea caught in the middle.

Haunted by her desires and craving another threesome, Rhea knows it can't happen. Jeremy is a mage. Colm is a vampire. The men tolerate each other because they’re under orders to cooperate. Without another spell to force them, they would never agree to sharing Rhea again. She has to choose -- the mage with a satisfying kiss or the vampire with a passionate bite…or maybe the third option she hasn’t yet considered.

Caveat Emptor -- Let the Buyer Beware.

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Selected Lovers (Caveat Emptor 7.5)
Zenobia Renquist
All rights reserved.
Copyright ©2013 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.

Rhea shoved her car door open, grumbling and cursing under her breath. Mondays belonged in the eighth circle of Hell along with the rest of the frauds. It wasn't a real day. It was Hell visited upon Earth in the guise of a real day. That had to be the case because no one should have to endure the amount of shit she had without divine punishment being involved.

A computer crash that ate all her work, missed deadlines that had popped up at the last minute, the wrong presentation for an important client, and to top it all off, being rear-ended while trying to merge in a construction zone. Thankfully the collision had been at a slow speed and hadn't caused any damage. Rhea rubbed at the pinch in her neck that she hoped was stress and not symptomatic of a bigger problem. She'd been too pissed off to get the insurance information of the woman who'd hit her.

All Rhea wanted was a hot bath and alone time. Lots and lots of alone time where she pretended the world outside her bathroom didn't exist. She didn't even have the mental energy to lie to herself about everything being better tomorrow.

Monday -- fraud -- eighth circle of Hell. That was all there was to it. She would be raised up from Hell as soon as she baptized herself with lavender-scented bubbles and a bottle of peach rum. She was still debating whether she would drink the entire bottle or two-thirds of it.

She kicked her car door shut and headed for her apartment. Two steps from the porch she stopped. "Fucking hell!"

A little yellow notice was taped below the peephole. The words "Delinquent Payment Notice" mocked her in giant bold lettering. Delinquent payment her ass. She paid her rent the first day of the month, every month.

She snatched the letter off the door and read it quickly. "What do they mean 'check not received?' I have a fucking receipt." She yanked her phone off her hip and pushed the power button. It was past closing time for the front office. Of course. With the day she'd been having, why would the office still be open?

She would have to call in late tomorrow so she could meet the apartment manager nice and early with receipt in hand so she could clear up this matter. Something told her waiting until after work might mean she would come home to all her stuff on the front lawn.

"Rhea Valern?"

"What?" She barked the question before turning to see who had asked. She didn't care who it was. She'd had enough. No more bad news. If one more person did one more thing to her, she would lose her mind and kill everyone in a one-mile radius, so help her God.

Two men stood behind her. Both were the same height, which was several inches taller than her, and both had an imposing vibe. The man on the left wore mage robes that cloaked his body from his wide shoulders to the ground. His light brown hair was pulled into a ponytail, leaving his chiseled, clean-shaven features free to be gazed upon... and Rhea was gazing. If he was her reward for putting up with her crappy day, she gladly accepted.

The man next to the mage, who wore tight blue jeans and a half-open button-up shirt that showed his sculpted chest, was just as yummy-looking. His blond hair was cropped short and styled into a mussed-up do that looked too purposefully mussed to be anything but intentional. Light-colored stubble graced his cheeks and chin, giving him a rugged look that appealed to her. His shoulders weren't as broad as his friend's, but that didn't make him any less attractive. And then he smiled. His fangs ruined it for her.

A vampire. Not good.

Vampires didn't frequent human-populated areas, not since the docility charms had failed, and the freed vampires had fled back to their own territory after massacring their former masters. A vampire in the company of a mage had to mean bad news -- extremely bad news of which Rhea wanted no part.

The mage said, "Rhea Valern, we have come to --"

"Not interested. I've never bought a vampire before or even stepped into a store where they were sold. I'm not a mage potential. You've got the wrong girl. Go away." She turned back to her door with her key in hand to unlock her door and make a quick escape into her apartment. If the men persisted, she would call the cops. Human cops wouldn't be of much help, but there were a few mages who volunteered to handle situations like this.

"You don't understand."

"And I don't want to. Bye now." She pushed her door open, took one step and then screamed as the floor disappeared beneath her feet. Not just the floor -- the entire inside of her apartment was a void of black nothingness.

Strong arms grabbed her from behind and pulled her back, except the void started pulling her too. She screamed again. The darkness had hold of her purse and was climbing up it like a snake winding around a branch. She couldn't open her hand to drop the strap. The darkness touched her fingers and freezing pain ripped another scream from her lips.

The man holding her yelled, "Stop standing there like a dumbass and do something, mage. This is your people's shit."

"Shut up, vampire. I know my job." The mage mumbled words Rhea didn't catch. It sounded like an incantation. That was good, right? A spell would end this, right?

The void yanked her into the apartment by her arm, causing her vampire savior -- she hoped he was saving her -- to hug her waist tight as he leaned back.

"Strong fuckers. Any time, mage." He huffed against her neck and made grunting noises that said he was straining. A vampire straining? They could juggle small cars with no effort. If he was exerting that much force, Rhea's arm should have been ripped off in the tug-of-war.

Except for where the darkness touched her, she wasn't in pain. Her arm was stretched to the maximum, but it didn't hurt. A slow glow crept over her shoulder and dripped down her arm like water. It touched the darkness and the darkness... screamed? Could darkness scream?

Whatever. It didn't matter. The darkness was letting her go. Rhea jerked on her arm to hurry along the process. The glow surrounded her arm, pushing the darkness back until it released her completely.

She fell back with a yelp, landing on the vampire as they toppled to the ground.

The mage rushed by them and pulled the door shut. He chanted a few more words as he stepped back slowly. The door glowed, and white script in a language Rhea didn't recognize appeared below the peephole.

"There. I've sealed it until someone else can be summoned to close that portal properly." The mage turned to her. "Now may I tell you why we're here?"

Rhea nodded with a hard sigh. The motion pushed her breasts into the hands of the vampire. In all the confusion, she hadn't realized where he was holding her.

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FOUR COWBOYS AND A WITCH by Cheryl Dragon

FOUR COWBOYS AND A WITCH by Cheryl Dragon

Warrior's Craft Book Two

Danielle left Texas for plenty of good reasons. The psychic had been called a witch and a lot worse. The only thing she missed was the four men who'd never let her down.

Back in Houston to settle her aunt's estate, Dani is drawn into their fight against a mysterious creature. A lot has changed, and they want her in their life and their one, very Texas-sized bed. A quiet ranch life with a paranormal mission and four hot cowboys eager to share her is more than she ever dreamed of having.

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Four Cowboys & A Witch
Cheryl Dragon
All rights reserved.
Copyright ©2012 Cheryl Dragon

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.

Ben Richner paced the family-room-turned-command-center of his Houston ranch. The proper living room was still decorated to the hilt, ready to receive and entertain guests in proper Texas fashion. The tucked away command center was stocked with laptops, maps, and reference books on the paranormal.

Being pagan in Texas felt like being a kitten surrounded by western diamondback rattlers -- you didn't stand a chance except to hold still and hope they didn't see you. Of course, Ben's crazy old aunts never cared. He'd learned it all young: Loving nature was okay here, but the good Christian ladies grew very uncomfortable with the pagan label.

As talented as this group of men was, only one had any spark of a magical gift, and it barely registered against the vampires they'd fought. A key piece of their group eluded them.

"Quit staring out the window. Trey and Rodney will get back when they're done." Sam Gradar stood and made his way to the kitchen with his coffee mug.

"I know," Ben said.

He had grown so used to Sam's limp he barely noticed anymore. Today, however, it grated on Ben: the pain in Sam's green eyes, and how that long sandy hair swung more when the limp hurt him.
Guilt never went away. They'd been warned and couldn't get to Sam in time. The rodeo accident in high school had been truly cruel harassment of a gay man. Seven years hadn't healed Sam's leg.
Nothing could. It was good to be rich and own land in Texas. Ben had flown in specialists but there were no fixes.

Pagan and gay, the group had some strikes against it, but technically they weren't gay. The missing piece was the right woman. The fact that the four of them had plenty of muscle from working a horse ranch meant others rarely harassed them.

Ben shook off the history running through his head. The case needed attention, yet his brain kept flashing back to high school when he'd fallen in love with Trey, and they'd both had a crush on that pesky Danielle girl.

Danielle Embers' name had come up when her father's aunt died last week. Since then, the group had kept their ears open for word that Dani'd returned to Houston. The very gifted woman had left for college and never returned. Her looks haunted him, long blonde hair and dark eyes that hinted of the power she tried to hide.

Finally Trey and Rodney pulled up in Trey's loaded silver pickup. The two climbed out. Ben met them at the door. The sight of Trey's handsome face, short brown hair and brown eyes comforted Ben.
"You're hyper today." Trey kissed Ben.

"It's Dani. She's in my head. Her aunt wanted no funeral and was cremated so maybe she won't come back. Someone has to claim the ashes and her possessions. What if Dani has them shipped?" Ben hooked his thumbs in the pockets of his worn out jeans.

"We've put feelers out all over town. If she shows at the retirement apartment complex, the funeral home, or any of our usual haunts, they'll call us." Rodney shrugged.

Ben smiled at the ever practical and overly smart man of the group. Black hair and dark eyes made him look like the magical practitioner he wanted to be. Finding that online coven for pagan men was Rodney's genius. He'd learned a lot, but they could really use Dani's gifts.

A hand slapped Ben on the back. He looked over.

"You okay?" Trey asked.

"Yeah, fine. What did you find at the attack site?" Ben rubbed his eyes.

Rodney turned on a laptop and hooked up his smartphone. "I got pictures. The property owner swears he didn't hear a thing all night. No howls or noises from the herd. There were no footprints or tire tracks."

"After that rain yesterday, the ground is still damp. There should've been some impressions." Trey moved over as Sam returned with his coffee.

"Another pricey cow killed?" Sam asked.

Trey nodded. "It was bloated from the sun this morning already, but the blood was gone. We cut the neck and the legs, barely any blood."

"Wolves? Coyotes?" Ben suggested.

Sam studied the pictures. "No, packs tear up the body. This one is pristine. I can't believe the coyotes didn't go after the meat."

"They didn't. You know animals. There must be a reason. Some scent they don't like. We took samples from the wounds, but the holes are so small it'd take forever to drain a heifer that way." Trey walked away with a shrug.

Ben loved the experience dynamic. Trey and Sam knew animals and ran a tight ranch. Rodney had the book smarts while Ben had the quirky ideas. "Did you put it to the online coven guys?"

Rodney shook his head. "I'll do it now that we've got evidence. The other two reports this week were shredded by predators by the time we got there. Vultures were circling when we arrived."

"See what they say online. Could be kids being dumb or something paranormal we don't know about." Ben nodded.

"Vampires haven't been a problem since we made them toe the line six months ago," Sam said.
"Who says it's vamps?" Trey asked.

"Who else wants blood?" Sam replied.

"There's too much blood in a huge cow. How'd they keep it fresh? Pump and store? Come on, they can raid the blood banks or hospitals instead of doing the work for cow blood. It's something else." Ben liked the surge of fighting the unknown and helping people.

"I'll put it online to the coven and start researching similar cases." Rodney settled in with the computer.

Ben's phone beeped and he looked at the text message. Dani Embers at retirement complex now.

"Put the cows on hold, guys. Dani's in town." Ben turned and headed for the door. The other three followed. He could feel the group lighten up. As good as they were together, Ben knew they'd never be civilized without the right woman. Pagan warriors for good needed a goddess to connect them to the feminine powers. In Texas terms, there was no home without a woman in it.

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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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