MORE THAN SHE BARGAINED FOR by Crystal Red

MORE THAN SHE BARGAINED FOR by Crystal Red 

Curse of the Werewolves-Book Two

Beth Klause has dated a lot of jerks. She wants her roommate, Chad Nickels, to be different. No doubt they have chemistry, but he doesn’t want a serious relationship. She hopes he changes his mind, even after she becomes a werewolf. It doesn’t help that her ex-boyfriend, Steve, still won’t stop inferring with her life. Will she be able to get rid of her ex for good, or will Steve destroy any chance of her ending up with Chad?

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Excerpt

Without a word, Beth broke free and then stomped off on her white high heels. He groaned. How did he always manage to say the wrong thing to her? All he wanted to do was to get to know her and have her open up to him just a little. He wasn’t asking for much. Although, part of him wondered what it’d be like to be married.

With a deep breath and heavy heart, he hurried toward the front door of the hall where Beth had ran off to. A couple minutes later, he found her sobbing in the parking lot next to a rusty Honda. Red looked better on her than it did on the car.

“Go away!” She sniffed and glowered at him.

“Beth,” he said in a soft tone. “I’m sorry if I said something to upset you. I wouldn’t want to dance with anyone but you.”

She wiped her wet eyes. “I don’t want to get involved with you and have it come back to bite me in the ass.”

“I know.”

She puckered her lips. “No, you don’t. I’ve been burned way too many times to be starting something new with a guy like you.”

“I’m not like your other boyfriends,” he whispered.

“And how would you know that?” She tapped her foot.

“Because,” he brushed a loose tendril of hair away from her face. “I’m not going to cheat on you or lie to you like they did.”

She shuddered at his touch. “You confuse me.”

“Beth.” He stepped closer.

From somewhere behind him, a growl echoed across the parking lot. The little hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. What the fuck? His stomach clenched. It couldn’t be, could it?

Before he could turn around or even push Beth out of the way, a hairy werewolf wrapped its paws around his ankles and brought him to the ground. His hands flew up, and his left wrist slammed into the side of the car. He winced from the pain as a sickening crack filled his ears.

Beth screamed and tried to run away, but the werewolf scooped her up and threw her onto the hood of the car. Chad stumbled to his feet, his wrist throbbing. He sucked in a harsh breath and lunged at the wolf.

“Don’t fucking touch her!”


The wolf with red eyes growled, baring its teeth, and shoved Chad away with a paw before it sank its sharp yellow teeth into Beth’s side.

Chad froze. Millions of thoughts raced through his head. Where the hell had this werewolf come from? What if it killed Beth? If something happened to her…

He shook off the negative thoughts and ran toward the wolf with a pounding heart. It roared and ran off into the dark night.

His gut twisted into knots, his wrist killing him, he ran to Beth. Blood soaked the right side of her dress. Panic swept through him. No. The werewolf couldn’t have killed her. He had to save her before it was too late.

“Beth?”

No response. Chad swallowed as he looked over at her. She was motionless on the hood of the car. Is it too late? He grabbed her wrist. She still had a pulse. Her breath came out unsteady and slow. He had to get her to a hospital.

He scooped her up into his arms and held her tight against him. Guilt washed over him. If only he could have saved her sooner. How would he ever live with himself if she didn’t make it? A werewolf had attacked her. Just how Brandon had gotten the bite.

He held his breath as he headed to his car. With one arm, he gripped Beth. He pulled his car remote out of his pocket and then hit the unlock button. In order to open the car door, he had to set Beth onto the hood. That done, he picked her up again and then gently placed her into the passenger’s side. Blood covered his hands and white shirt, but that didn’t matter right now.

They arrived at the hospital five minutes later. As he rushed over to the door to open it, Beth jerked up, her eyes wide.

His heart thundered as he yanked the door open. “Beth? Are you okay?”

“I-I don’t know,” she stuttered.

Chad winced as pain shot through his wrist.

Beth tried to stand, but wobbled and nearly fell on her face. “What’s wrong with your wrist and why are you bleeding?” She leaned against the car for support.

“It’s probably just a bruise from when I tried to save you from the werewolf that attacked you. The blood is from you.”

She shook her head. “Your wrist could be broken. We need to get it checked out.”

He clenched his teeth. “I’m fine. I’ll put some ice on it. Good as new.”

Her green eyes darkened. “Stop being so fucking stubborn. Let’s go inside the ER and find out.” She tugged at the sleeve of his jacket and waved him toward the hospital building.

“What about you?” He looked her over from head to toe. Not one scratch covered her. Visibly, anyway. Blood no longer soaked her dress either, only a tear remained on the right side where she’d received a bite. No doubt a werewolf had done that. The same thing had happened to Brandon when he was sixteen.

She looked away. “I don’t know what happened."


He draped his good arm around her waist. “You were attacked by a werewolf. You’re healed.”

“Fine. Let’s get you checked out.”

As they walked up the sidewalk path to the hospital, his heart weighed heavy with guilt. That shouldn’t have happened to Beth. He’d get to the bottom of who was behind the werewolf bite, even if it’d be the death of him.

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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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THE PRINCESS by Laura Tolomei

THE PRINCESS by Laura Tolomei

Virtus Saga 7

The book that reconnects it all—love, sex, lust, but also the princess to her power. Don’t miss the seventh chapter of the Virtus Saga.

Alone. The future of his world on his shoulders, Prince Duncan Caldwell has to connect the dots. To pick up the pieces of broken love. Before the new edition of the Game. Before the terrible loss awaiting him at Black Rose. But not alone. Not without his angel. Certainly not without his princess. For only her power will save him.

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~Excerpt~

“So how is this going to help us?” Suddenly attentive, Chris shifted. “They already know we fuck like crazy.” His new position had drawn the prince closer than before, if at all possible. “And that stunt you pulled in the attic leaves no one any doubts we belong to one another—”

“This isn’t going to be about us.”

“Then…” As the dots connected in the angel’s head, Duncan saw his eyes brightening all of a sudden. “It’s going to be about her.”

“Exactly.” Too late he realized his crotch was digging in Chris’s belly. “We’ve been so bent on showing everybody what we feel about one another. We totally neglected to put her in the picture.” And it was driving him crazy, especially since his angel’s cock was as stiff as his. “So it’s time to set the record straight. Yours most of all, since you always play like you care nothing for her.”

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PHOTOREALISM by Julia Talbot

PHOTOREALISM by Julia Talbot

Nature photographer July is determined to capture a moose in his lens during a trip to Colorado. What he finds instead is a beautiful wolf who seems more than happy to pose for him. Rhys wants July to see him as a man, too, but can he convince July that his shifting abilities are real?

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Also available in the DAWG DAYS Anthology which includes stories from Julia Talbot, Jae Christopher, V.L. Locey, Winnie Jerome, Mychael Black, Cecil Wilde, M. Lee, Tray Ellis, Rob Rosen, L.J. Hamlin and Lorne Rodman

Excerpt:

July James aimed his powerful lens at the wolf cavorting in the water. Wolf reintroduction on Grand Mesa was going well from what he could see. This guy was a huge, healthy male with a glossy gray and black coat. The wet tail waved furiously, the wolf jumping and playing in the cold creek, bouncing as if he was hunting in the snow.

God, that was adorable. July had come to the big flattop mountain in Western Colorado to photograph moose, which were also a successful reintroduction, but this wolf had caught his attention three days ago, and he'd been stalking the silly beast since then.

The only worrisome thing about the big gray was how solitary he seemed. Wolves ran in packs, so why was this one so alone? He didn't seem to have any rabies symptoms, and God knew he looked healthy. Then again, he wasn't wearing any kind of radio tag, so maybe he was a wandering male.

Still, the pictures were totally worth the extra time he'd have to spend camping so he could get his moose shots, too. There was something about this animal, something that drew him, made him want to fill a dozen memory cards with images.

He brought the camera around to another angle, his eye at the view instead of watching the digital screen. July froze then, because the wolf stopped its play and turned its head to stare at him, right at him, it seemed. Those golden eyes met his, steady and unafraid, and July felt a lot less like a professional photographer and more like a yummy chew toy for those few moments.

Backing off slowly, he packed his camera away, careful to keep one eye on the wolf. Then he moved carefully toward the main trail, which would have enough foot traffic during these summer months to deter the wolf from following him. His heart slammed against his ribcage. Damn, he was lucky this particular wolf wasn't running with a pack and had only himself to protect and feed.

That had been entirely too close.

Maybe he'd take the rest of the day off. Who really wanted to work on a day as pretty as this anyway?

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GEEK IN THE WOODS by Cheryl Dragon

GEEK IN THE WOODS by Cheryl Dragon 

Major construction disrupts more than Ray Hooker’s life; it rattles his small town with a secret.

As sexy genius Eric Ridgeway continues building his state-of-the-art think tank, the town’s shifter population is terrified their identities will be uncovered by the group of incoming scientists. When fear drives vandals to slow construction, Ray helps Eric defend his property. Their relationship heats up and, in order to protect Eric, Ray reveals that he’s a bear shifter.

Now, not only is his secret out of the bag, but Ray needs to decide if loving Eric is worth the risk of discovery by other scientists. None of that will matter if their newfound attraction can’t outlast fear, lies and distrust!

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Excerpt:

The talk all over Bear Cove was about the big construction machines rolling in and out as work was done on a large piece of land. The small town shared a boarder with Greenville, Maine, but the new property owner wasn’t from either place. Ray Hooker didn’t like the unsettled feeling change brought to the small town he loved, but he’d adapt.

He walked into Bear Cove’s only gay bar, The Black Den, and nodded to a few people. The well-maintained building looked more like a hunting lodge with flannel and a touch of flair. He knew all of the people there had the same question on their mind. They wanted to ask Ray what he knew. Since he ran the local handyman business and matched men to projects and work, he knew the business and local contractors.

Grabbing a stool at the bar, Ray smiled at his old pal behind it. Gus had a talent for listening, like every good bartender, but Gus went even further. He always had a feeling about what troubled people. Even when they were little kids. He always seemed interested and kept things to himself, which was why Ray tried not to impose too much.

“What’s new?” Gus asked.

Ray sighed and looked around. The music actually stopped and people gathered. “We all know a new man has come to town. All that construction has meant some added work around here so let’s not get negative. The new owner is a genius. The eccentrics like to have a lot of land and build their dreams. He’s clearly a millionaire and a scientist from Princeton and Stanford.”

“Eric Ridgeway. He’s staying at the Bear Cove Inn,” said a young man who worked at the inn.

“Dr. Ridgeway is a PhD in environmental something or other. I looked him up. Very rich, very well connected, and very smart.” Thad, Ray’s other best friend, folded his arms.

Ray smiled at Thad, who was the local tech head. Until now, Thad had always been the smartest guy in town.

“A tree hugger?” someone asked.

“A scientist,” Thad repeated. “We have to be careful. He’s not just here to save an owl or hunt some game.”

Ray traded a look with Gus. “Thad’s right. We need to get the word out. All shifters need to be on extra alert. Be very careful when and where you shift. No unnecessary risks. We don’t need any scientists to uncover the secret here.”

“Maybe we can get rid of him?” suggested Matthew.

The young hothead was exactly what Ray had been worried about and why he hadn’t broken the bad news sooner. He needed to see the truth for himself. That building was massive. Plenty of scientists had to be coming. “None of that. He’s bought land legally. He can build whatever he wants. Plans are for a think tank.”

“What’s that?” Gus asked.

“A place where geniuses get together and debate, work, and solve the mysteries of the universe,” Thad said.

“So far none of those think tanks have worked out then, I guess.” Gus laughed.

There were snickers and mutterings from the patrons. The bar drew men from Bear Cove and Greenville. Here there was no secret of shifters living alongside humans. But outsiders were eyed with suspicion.

“He might not be around much. They might stick to their think tank. Do their work and go away. The building will be big enough to house them so they might not mingle with the population. We don’t need to panic,” Ray said.

“We’re being invaded by scientists. Men who study, investigate, and dissect things for a living. I don’t want to be cut up or locked in a cage and tested on like a lab rat.” Matthew scowled.

A couple of his friends nodded in agreement. Ray didn’t like the crowd’s growing agitation... The sight of tense muscles and clenched fists wasn’t good.

“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. We need to be careful. Not giveaway our secret. We’ve done it plenty of times. Tourists come in every summer. Plenty of the humans around here have friends or family come to visit. We can do this. Avoid the geeks if you like, but don’t harass them. Making them suspicious won’t help anyone. The sheriff has to do his job, not keep our secret. This think tank could be good. It might mean permanent jobs. Don’t panic because one new guy comes to town,” Ray said.

He didn’t want to add that the attractive man with glasses he’d spied at the construction site was lean and not overly tall but solid. That the guy had brown hair, blue eyes, and a calm way about him. That Ray wanted to know the scientist better, not run him off.

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REDEMPTION by Rebecca Royce

REDEMPTION by Rebecca Royce

The Warrior Series Book Four

Rachel Clancy made a decision to erase herself from the lives of her friends and family. She did this, she believes, to free herself up to make some hard decisions. Only to realize out she was manipulated by a master into doing just what he wanted….

Now, she is alone with no one to turn to for help.

But fate isn't done with Rachel. When she is thrust back into the path of her former people—who have no idea who she is—she will find that life gives second chances. Will she gain redemption? Or is it too late…?

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Excerpt:

 

“I hate the nickname you’ve given me.”

Rolling over, I elbowed Jason hard in the chest. He grunted, more for show than actual pain, I suspected, and laughed. If my parents came home and found us lying in my bed together, there would be hell to pay. We only cuddled, but they wouldn’t care. All they would see was me, their sixteen-year-old daughter, Rachel, with her boyfriend, sprawled out together on my bed in my bedroom, a place they’d banned us from being alone in months ago.

I snapped my gum in my mouth and reread the text my best friend Kayla had sent me. She wanted to go to some club, wanted me to come out with her. If I went, I’d have to do so in secret. I’d never get permission to go, and Jason might actually lose his mind if I let him in on the plan. Sometimes he got really, really possessive. I hated when he did.

Most of the time.

“Why do you hate your nickname? Pixie-girl suits you.”

“Blah.” I rolled my eyes. “I’m way too old for fairy tales. I prefer to live in the here and now. The real world. Come up with something else.”

“I’ll call you whatever I want. End of story.”

I stood and made my way over to the window.

Why do I let him come into my bedroom if I’m just going to spend the entire time he’s here worrying about getting caught?

Apparently, he’d hadn’t finished talking. “Rachel, there’s lots of real things in the world. Things existing outside of your definition. Even some things found in fairy tales. Don’t be so closed-minded. I don’t like it.”

Jason’s voice had gotten low and sharp. I knew the tone well. Every once in a while, my sweet, gorgeous, blond, horribly popular boyfriend would seem like a different person. Where had the Jason I loved gone? Every once in a while he seemed entirely changed. I shivered and rubbed my arms. I pretended I had all the answers to life’s problems, but deep in my heart I knew I still had a lot to learn before I handled the kind of baggage Jason’s intensity spoke toward. Or so my mother said.

“Are you listening to me?” He banged on the wall as if his action might make me answer him faster.

What brought on these episodes? I mean, really, how much secret history did he have to hide to justify his darkness? He’d been born the upper-middle-class son of a prominent research physician. Jason’s troubles seemed pretty null and void to me. My family wouldn’t end up on some reality show for the deprived, either. My father, a science teacher with his summers off, who liked NASCAR, and my mom, an investment banker, managed to provide me with everything I needed or wanted. Unless something really awful happened behind closed doors, neither Jason nor I had much leg to stand on when it came to “issues.” Hence, why I had such a hard time understanding Jason’s dark, spooky side.

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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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SIZZLED by Declan Sands

SIZZLED by Declan Sands

Blood-Hound Book 4

Intergalactic intrigue, sizzling sexual tension, and a giant snake shifter to be vanquished. Things are never dull.

Enjoying much-deserved R and R on the black sand beaches of the ruling Authority’s planet Enitrus, Cliff Blood is not happy when his brother Matt and his lover Rum show up to spoil his vacay with bad news. It seems Brand Lotus, evil snake-villain with a plan to take over Earth by force, has been discovered heading back to Earth and he’s targeting the Bloods’ favorite cops.

Problem is, the Blood boys aren’t going to make it back to Earth before Lotus gets there, so Littlejohn and Petra have to fend for themselves, while negotiating a new development in their relationship that already has them slightly off-balance.

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Sizzled (Blood-Hound)
Declan Sands
All rights reserved.
Copyright ©2013 Declan Sands

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.

"We need a zero-gravity chamber in your house."

Matt grinned at Rum, his gold eyes crinkling with humor. "Not a chance. Your feet would never touch the floor again."

The fairy waggled his fine, blond eyebrows and turned back to the viewport to watch the home planet of the Authority looming closer. Much of the surface of Enitrus was blue, as a large part of the planet was water. The rest was black, because the soil was heavily comprised of black sand. Most of its surface was flat, but a high, uneven ridge of mountains made a strange fringe around the center of the planet. Like a hippo in a ballet tutu.

A dark shadow passed overhead and Matt looked up to see the wide, silver underbelly of a merchant airship skimming past high above. Blue lights on the sleek surface seemed to twinkle as space debris flashed past. Ahead and around them, colored lights and movement dotted the black airspace of the galaxy surrounding the lone planet. After days of shooting across empty space, accompanied only by large chunks of meteor rock floating lazily past, the traffic had grown steadily more dense the closer they'd come to the busy planet.

"Mr. Blood." Matt turned at the slightly high-pitched, breathy sound of Acting Commander Manchester's voice, and frowned. Manchester had been tapped to command the Authority airship Vibrance's mission to Enitrus at the last minute, when the ship's real commander disappeared without a word, and he obviously wasn't comfortable with his leading role. At that moment he looked especially out of his league. His customarily stoic expression was colored with worry.

"What's wrong?"

The commander of the Vibrance threw a quick glance out the viewport, probably to see how close they were to docking. "It's Brand Lotus. His ship has been spotted about a light year from Earth."

"That's close, right?" Rum was a fairy and therefore used to flying, but his experience above the ground was almost entirely limited to the area within Earth's atmosphere. Intergalactic travel was a new adventure for him.

Commander Manchester slid a gaze toward Rum, his blue eyes narrowing with suspicion as they usually did when fixing on the fairy. "Yes. At their present rate of speed, they'll touch down in a couple of days."

Matt frowned. "Even if we turned around right now, we wouldn't make it in time."

Manchester inclined his head in agreement.

"Any idea what he's up to?" Matt asked.

"The communications we've intercepted seem to suggest he's got a target on Earth. Someone he considers collateral."

Matt threw Rum a look, reading the same alarm he was feeling in his lover's wide, turquoise gaze. "He's going after Littlejohn."

"Or Petra," Rum added. He shook his head, flinging his longish, blond curls around his head.

Matt looked at the commander. "We need to turn around."

The other man shook his head. "We need to dock at least long enough to restock supplies and replenish our fuel."

Matt swore, beginning to pace. He stopped after a moment and looked up. "Where's my brother?"

Manchester's gaze slid to the viewport and he inclined his head. "Our last report was that he and the Hell-hound were on Enitrus."

Matt's eyes widened in surprise. "Seriously?"

Manchester nodded. "Vacation, apparently."

"Shit!" Matt looked at Rum. "We need to warn Littlejohn."

Rum sighed, crossing his arms over his chest. "They won't stand a chance against Lotus and his hot puppies."

"They'll have to go underground until we can get to them," Matt agreed.

Rum thought about it for a moment. "Literally?"

Frowning, Matt asked, "What do you mean?"

"I think I know a place they can go underground for real." Rum smiled, obviously warming to the idea.

"You're thinking about the fairy mound, aren't you?" Matt shook his head. "The elders will never go for it."

"If it weren't for Petra and Littlejohn, there would be no mound. The fairies owe them," Rum argued.

Scrubbing his fingers through his short, brown hair, Matt started to pace again, his mind racing. "That might be true but from what you've told me, I don't think the elders will acknowledge it."

Rum started toward the oval-shaped doorway at the back of the control room. "You leave that up to me. I have something in mind that I think I can talk them into."

Matt expelled a breath, wondering how his sexy fairy was going to pull off the impossible task. He looked up as the door slid open with a whoosh. "Wait, where are you going?"

Rum stopped in the doorway and looked back, his smoldering turquoise gaze fixed on Matt. "To find a mirror."

Fairies communicated over distance through mirrors. Matt realized Rum was planning to contact the elders. He started to argue and then just sighed, nodding. "Thanks, babe." Watching Rum go, Matt dropped into the nearest console seat and scrubbed a hand over his face.

"It's their best chance," Manchester offered.

Matt blinked, having momentarily forgotten the other man was there. "I know. But there will be great risk to the fairies." He frowned, wondering how his favorite fairy would handle more deaths in his beloved mound. "I was hoping to keep the collateral damage to a minimum."

Manchester nodded. "We'll be docked on Enitrus a minimum of twelve hours. You might want to locate your brother and engage his help on this one. Lotus knows we're on to him now, and he's planning an all-out war. He has nothing to lose at this point and everything to gain."

Matt nodded. "I will, thanks." He swiveled his chair toward the view of Enitrus's busy docking zone, quickly approaching beyond the glass. His thoughts raced. He'd hoped they'd have more time to plan and regroup before taking on the powerful snake-shifter and his dangerous minions. Thank God his brother was very good at making plans.

He just hoped Cliff could forgive him for interrupting the vacation with his lover, Marshal Falen Scott, and dragging him into a new and dangerous adventure. Because their friends were in serious danger, and the two brothers and their lovers might be the only thing standing between them and certain death.

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BLIND ACCEPTANCE by Missy Martine

BLIND ACCEPTANCE by Missy Martine

The Wind River Pack

Laynee Conners has been in a school for the blind since her mother died when she was five. Now, her father wants her to come home so he can get his hands on the inheritance her grandfather left her.

David and Eric Rivers are brothers, adopted into the Wind River Pack. They’re called home to Wyoming when their alpha wants to do a head count of all his pack members. Children are disappearing from other packs, and he’s concerned about his family.

The brothers find Laynee in the woods, drugged and left to die. Both their beasts claim the fragile young woman as their mate.

Can a bear and a wolf share a mate?

Time’s running out. They have to convince Laynee she’s theirs before her father succeeds in his plans.

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~Excerpt~

Groaning, Laynee slowly opened her eyes and shivered. “Father?” She felt groggy, her head almost spinning. Her tongue felt thick, and a bad taste coated her mouth. She could smell an earthy, pine scent mixed with the odor of damp, rotting wood. The air was crisp and bitingly cold. She reached out her hand and trailed her fingers over the rough bark of a tree. A cold wind ruffled through her hair.

“Ugh,” she groaned when she felt the moisture seeping into her jeans. She could feel the prickle of briars against her palms as she pushed to a sitting position, the spongy ground making her draw back in horror. Why can’t I think clearly? Everything seems so fuzzy. “Where the hell am I, Father?” she screamed.

She froze and tried to calm her breathing, listening carefully for the sound of voices. The only sound was the branches creaking and the groaning of the trees in the wind. She wrapped her arms around her waist and tried to stop from shaking. “What am I gonna do now?”

Trying to control her fear, she struggled to her feet and reached out with her hand to steady herself against a tree. Dizziness nearly overwhelmed her as she dropped to her knees. She turned her face to the wind and strained to hear a familiar sound. After a minute, she tried to stand and froze. The rhythmic sound of footsteps beating against the path caused her breath to catch. “Who’s there?” she whispered.

“I can hear something panting.” Using her legs, she pushed back toward the tree when something plowed through the brush. When she heard an excited yip, she turned to the direction it came from and smiled. “Doggy, here boy.” Barely able to keep her eyes open, she held out her hand. Moments later, something cold and wet pressed against her palm.

She took a shaky breath and laughed. “You’re a big fellow, aren’t you?” Laynee continued to pet him, laughing when he licked her cheek and neck, partially leaning on his firm back. The heat from his body drew her. She scooted closer and hugged him tight.

“You’re so warm, boy. Do you think I could warm myself for just a minute?” It was almost like he understood, cuddling closer, giving her the warmth from his body. “Fellow, we need to get out of here. You’ve got to have a master somewhere.” Her hands rubbed over his neck. “You don’t have a damn collar. Are you a stray?” She sighed when he licked her cheek. “Do you think you could lead us out of here, big guy? I can’t make it on my own. You’ll have to let me lean on you. I’m not feeling too well.”

* * * *

Eric sniffed Laynee’s neck, whined, and then growled softly. She’s my mate! There was something off about her scent, but there was no doubt, this woman was his mate. He spotted a drink can on the ground and leaned down to sniff it, growling when he caught the unnatural scent. She was drugged, just like the man said. When she stiffened, he stopped growling and licked her cheek, whining when he felt her relax against him.

Turning, he stared at her face and froze. Her blank gaze was directed his way, but it was obvious she didn’t see him. My beautiful mate is blind! What kind of a man would leave his blind daughter to fend for herself?

Another unusual scent caught Eric’s attention. He raised his nose and breathed in deeply. With a low growl, he pulled away from Laynee and moved to the other side of the tree.

“Wait,” Laynee cried, and tried to grab for him, nearly falling flat on her face.

He hurried back so she could touch him, but not before he saw the raw meat lying on the ground. It’s a miracle some animal didn’t find her before I did. I’ve got to get her moving toward the highway so David can find us. They were too far from the road for David to pick up her scent unless he shifted. I’d hate to see how she’d react to hearing a bear lumbering through the woods.

Eric nudged her thigh and watched in horror as she tumbled over onto her side. Damn, I didn’t mean to knock you down.

Laynee groaned and pulled herself up. “I’m sorry, boy. I can’t seem to wake up. I’m so dizzy.”

Eric growled softly. I know why you’re dizzy. All those drugs are still in your system. It’s gonna be hard getting you back to the car if I don’t shift.

Determined, he nudged her thigh again and gripped her shirt between his teeth and pulled. She got the message and pulled herself up.

“Okay, boy. I’m coming. Keep your shirt on.” She got shakily to her feet, leaned heavily against Eric, and threaded her fingers in his ruff, holding on tight. Eric leaned down, closed his jaw around the soda can, and then prodded her forward, moving her around rocks and limbs as carefully as he could. Slowly they made their way toward the highway.

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FOREVER EVA by Missy Martine

FOREVER EVA by Missy Martine

Anna Doubles Down Series

Eva grew up knowing her mother came from the future. When Timothy Canders holds the family at gunpoint in an effort to make them summon the time-portal, she’s accidentally pulled in with him. But when she arrives in 2014, Timothy is nowhere to be found.

Tony and Zach investigated when two women disappeared from Hamilton two years ago. Imagine their surprise when a young woman, dressed like the old west, comes walking out of the old, broken down saloon.

Eva falls in love with her two rescuers but doesn’t realize a policewoman on the force will do anything to keep Tony for herself. When the young policewoman finds evidence tying Eva to the disappearance of the missing women she has to find a way to get back to her own time, or face a lifetime in prison. Will the portal allow the men to travel back with her, or leave them behind?

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~Excerpt~

Officer Tony Grandy slammed on the brakes of his Dodge Durango, throwing up gravel and dirt behind him. He wasn’t surprised to see the standard white pickup truck of the park rangers parked outside the crumbling old saloon in Hamilton. He knew Ranger Zachary Carlson would be somewhere near. It was two years ago today that two young women had vanished from the ghost town without a trace. Tony had been on duty when the 911 call had come in from one of the women. Miss Katarina Elizabeth Evans had reported her friend, Anna Lorraine Oakland, missing. The two women had been vacationing together when they stopped at the old town to do some research for a book Miss Evans was writing, according to friends. It had taken him twenty minutes to reach the scene after the victim disconnected her call, but by then it was too late.

There had been no sign of either woman. The only evidence they’d been there at all was the abandoned Ford Escape registered to Katarina Evans. That was also the first time he’d met Park Ranger Zach Carlson. He’d arrived on the scene just a scant two minutes behind Tony. The two men had searched all the buildings thoroughly, even hiking up the hill to search the old Silver Bell Mine and Belmont Mill. They’d found footprints that could have been a small woman, but no other clues. The women had just vanished without a trace.

The investigation had hit him hard, and Ranger Carlson even harder. He’d only been on the job about a month when he’d responded to the call. The two men had investigated together, off and on over the first year, learning a lot about the two women, but getting no closer to solving their disappearance. All that time spent together had brought the men together, not exactly friends, but closer in some ways. He’d never admit it to anyone, but he felt a strange pull to be closer to the shy ranger.

Tony threw the truck in park and cut the engine. Grabbing his hat, he unfolded his five-foot-eleven-inch frame out of the vehicle and stretched his arms over his head, rotating his neck back and forth. Slamming the door shut, he moved forward. There wasn’t much left of the old mining town. Two buildings were still standing, but he knew the local residents were petitioning to have the area razed. Nobody really considered it historical, mainly just an eyesore and danger to the children they couldn’t keep from exploring the so-called ghost town. The area had an unremarkable history as far as he was concerned. Its greatest claim to fame being the women’s disappearance. For six months after they disappeared, the news crews, psychics, and ghost chasers went over the area with a fine-tooth comb and didn’t find a thing.

“I had a feeling you’d be out here today.”

Tony turned around and smiled at Zach. “Where else would I be on our anniversary?”

Zach grimaced. “I’m not sure I wanna think of this as our anniversary, man. That’s pretty dismal.” He looked around at the mounds of wood and rock up and down the small dirt road.

“I can’t get this place out of my mind. I feel like it draws me here,” Tony said. “Like it’s waiting to give up its secrets. You just have to be here at the right time to understand everything.”

Zach’s eyes widened. “Yeah, that’s exactly how I feel. I think about those poor women and wonder whatever happened to them.” He sighed and ran his hand through his hair. “I mean, I know they’re probably dead, but it’s like I can’t rest until I know for sure.”

Tony pulled off his hat and smacked it against his leg, a cloud of dust drifting in the air around him. “You wanna get some lunch?”

“Sure, just let me…” Both men whirled around, drawing their guns, when a faint, feminine scream came from the old saloon.

“Tell me you heard that,” asked Tony.

“Oh, yeah, I heard it. It came from inside the building.” Zach motioned toward the saloon with the tip of his service revolver. “There ain’t no back door to this place, and the windows are all boarded up tight. We’ll have to go in from the front to check it out.”

“Should we call for backup?”

Zack frowned. “I’d rather not. I’m not anxious to explain what I’m doing out here if it’s all the same to you. I’d rather wait and see if there’s anything to report before I get anybody’s dander up.”

“Fine by me.” Tony moved closer to the building. “I’d just as soon not be the butt of a thousand ghost jokes. I’ll take point. Cover me best you can.” The two men moved slowly toward the open door of the old saloon. The sun was blistering hot, with hardly any breeze stirring the air. Tony could feel the sweat rolling down his back as he moved up the rickety steps. The foul stench of rotting wood was almost overwhelming as he cautiously peered inside the dark room, sweeping the interior with a quick glance. He could feel the hairs on the back of his neck stand up as he moved farther into the dismal building.

Inside was a heavy mildew smell and definite signs of critter infestation. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Zach move through the door, slowly making his way around the room in the opposite direction. A soft crash, and a muffled voice, had both men turning toward the only door in the room. Tony knew, from their past investigation, the door led to an underground basement. When he reached the opening, he glanced down.

“When I get my hands on Timothy Canders, I’m gonna slap him silly.”

The feminine voice drifted up from the basement. Tony quickly moved back when footsteps sounded on the stairs.

“Is anybody there?” the girl called out. “It that you, Timothy?”

Tony glanced at Zach and then back at the open doorway. “Come up with your hands in clear sight. I’m a police officer.”

“Okay, I’m coming. It’s awfully dark. You wouldn’t happen to have a lamp, would you?”

Tony frowned. “No, but I’ve got a flashlight. I’m gonna shine it down the steps. You come straight up and keep your hands where I can see them.” He pulled the flashlight from his belt and moved closer to the open doorway. He had to choke back a laugh when he heard the girl muttering.

“What? Does he think I’m some kind of dangerous criminal? I can’t believe anybody would be afraid of me.”

Tony nodded toward Zach where he stood against the far wall, his gun pointed toward the basement door, and then moved to shine his light down the steps.


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ECHOPHARTE by Anthony Stevens

ECHOPHARTE by Anthony Stevens

Shifter Series Book Four

The ancients revered them. The colonists feared them. Today, no one believes in them. Shifters have lived and worked among humans since before recorded history.

Echopharte tells of the first community and how both good and evil have continuously shaped our society, from ancient times up to the present day.

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~Excerpt~

Alisa pushed it aside. “Oh, that won't do among family, girl. Here. Give me a hug.” The warm embrace was just as enthusiastic as the one she gave her son. “Now you two come on up and let's get comfortable. I've got the AC turned up since I know you're both used to the mountains and it's hot and humid out here.”

Later that evening, Grego left his folks watching TV and took Kimmy out, on to the veranda that wrapped all the way around the upper level. “Come on, hon. There's something I want you to see.”

Out back, he led her down another set of stairs and onto a wooden walkway that seemed to float above the grass for a few feet, then curved away, between huge cypress trees. Most of the way, the walk was four or five foot over the swamp. The full moon had a hard time filtering through the tall, moss-draped trees. Well out of sight of the house, the wooden path emerged from the trees and became a dock. The river was mostly smooth with only narrow bands of ripples to show the current and eddies around submerged rocks. It mirrored the black shadow-trees of the opposite bank.

Grego sat on one of the pilings. “This feel a bit quieter, Kim?”

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HERE WITHOUT YOU by Megan Slayer

HERE WITHOUT YOU by Megan Slayer

Some guys have all the luck and some guys love the pain. Slash Gunderson knows that feeling well. His place behind the drums for Glow is a dream come true. Can he accept his need for kink and the man who makes his heart beat?

Hiram Moline loves his job as the head of security for Glow. He's also in love with Slash. There's one major glitch -- someone has been sending Slash threatening letters. Hiram's not about to let anything happen to Slash. Can he convince Slash they've got something strong or will the stalker get the upper hand?

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Here Without You
Megan Slayer
All rights reserved.
Copyright ©2012 Megan Slayer

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.

"There is nothing like the feeling of walking in the door after a long tour and knowing you don't have to go anywhere for at least a week." Slash Gunderson tossed his duffle bag onto the floor and took a deep breath. The pine scent of his rustic home swirled around him, embracing him like an old friend. He loved the sound of silence. He'd thought about getting a bulldog or a couple of cats, but touring made having a pet damned near impossible. The silence also reminded him he didn't have the one thing he really wanted -- someone to share the house with. Not a roommate or a housemate, but a lover. Someone he trusted and wanted to be around. Sure, he loved the guys from Glow like brothers, but being that two were married and one was in a permanent relationship, he wasn't likely to score a hook-up.

Hook-ups. Slash toed off his running shoes, then flipped through the mail he'd picked up from the floor. No one really knew his address, so getting mail was like getting gold. "Bill, bill, bill," he muttered and flipped through the thin stack of envelopes.

One envelope bore smears and a scrawled address line. The return address had suffered more smearing, but the handwriting... he knew that writing. Knew it eerily well. V -- the crazy behind the mutilation letters -- was back.

He gulped and fought back the bile on his tongue.

The author of the letter made a point in large script to let Slash know who he or she was -- sort of. Another letter couldn't be good, and this one had something heavy in it.

The more Slash touched the envelope, the more he realized there wasn't just a piece of paper inside. Slash looked around the foyer and tossed the letter on the floor. Damn. If someone wanted to poison him, especially V, then Slash's need to read the mail had helped start the process.

He dropped the remaining letters onto the side table and took out his cell. He pressed the buttons to call the one person he trusted. Save for the police and the other guys in the band, there weren't too many people Slash counted on. Hiram ranked in the top slot.

"Moline."

The tingle shooting up Slash's spine shifted from fear to excitement. Every time he heard Hiram's bass voice, his body reacted. Hiram Moline's ensemble screamed, "I can kick your ass with a smile and not break a sweat." All muscle and brood with the right amount of snarl to make him sexy. Just being around Hiram scrambled Slash's brains. "Hey, man. I've got an envelope here. Can't read the damn thing."

"Okay. Is it like before?"

"I think so."

Besides being the best security guard Slash knew, Hiram cared. They'd gone out more than a couple times and ended the night together. They had a bond, unconventional, with handcuffs and a serious need to be spanked, but a bond nonetheless. When Hiram held him, Slash felt at ease and adored. Was that nuts?

"I'll be there in a moment."

The reassurance in Hiram's voice lifted Slash's spirits for a heartbeat. "How?" Where was Hiram if he could be there in a little bit? Slash turned to the sound of gravel crunching and peeked through the glass panels on either side of the front door. The fear subsided a bit.

Hiram climbed out of his truck and marched up the walkway. Good timing. Slash disconnected the call and placed the phone next to the discarded mail. "I was on my way here anyway. I wanted to talk to you, but I'd like to get this sorted out first. Let me see what you have."

Normally when Hiram walked through the door, all Slash could think of was jumping on him. Not with a strange letter lying at his feet. The fear came back and lumped in his belly.

"Fuck." Slash tapped his foot. "I should've called the cops first." God, he hated when his confidence tanked.

"Probably." Hiram's brows knotted and the muscles in his jaw tensed. "Doesn't look suspicious, but hell, who knows with this shit?" He groaned. "I'm not sure what the hell to do. If we open it and it's got something wicked in it, we're fucked. If it's on the level, we're not." He shook his head. "Fuck it. I don't feel right about letting it go."

Slash's skin crawled. He listened to Hiram make the phone call, but his thoughts went every which way. The life of a rock star quite frankly rocked. He loved every moment in the studio, the concerts for the fans, the meetings with the Glow Kids. Touring left a bit to be desired, but most of that was the time sitting idle in the bus. Whoever said the miles were endless wasn't kidding. He blew out a long breath and swallowed past the lump of fear in his throat. He held one of the scariest parts of being famous -- people who wanted to harm anyone in the media spotlight. His palms sweated and his foot bounced like it did when he got nervous. Having Hiram there helped, but as Hiram said, who knew what was in the letter?

Hiram nodded again and slipped his phone into the holster on his jeans pocket. "Called Mitchell Green with the Olmstead Police Department. He said they'd bag it and test your hand for chemicals. Shouldn't be ten minutes. No sweat."

No sweat. Slash closed his eyes. The only thing he feared more than the damned envelope was an attack from a fan. For all he knew the letter was the attack. He'd always imagined someone would try to hurt him while he was on stage.

"You're over-thinking." Hiram stepped in close enough his breath warmed Slash's cheeks. "Hey. I'm not about to let anyone hurt you."

Without looking at Hiram, Slash opened his eyes. The honesty in Hiram's voice got to him. His heart raced. Fuck buddies weren't supposed to have feelings for each other, and that was what he and Hiram were, right? He had to say something. "You say that to all the band members. Half the band is your family."

There, that put the emotions on ice and got his blossoming feelings back behind the wall surrounding his heart.

"That's not fair." Hiram tipped Slash's chin up, forcing him to look into Hiram's eyes. Instead of ridicule, something else shone in the icy blue depths...

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TAKING IT BACK by Zenobia Renquist

TAKING IT BACK by Zenobia Renquist

Sometimes you have to get grabby to get what you want.

Nami is in Vegas for a business seminar. Kosuke is a tentacle monster in search of a cure for the affliction keeping him from eating. While she may not make him better, Kosuke is more than willing to put that aside to enjoy the other things Nami can do for him.

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Taking It Back
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.


Trust. Nami worshipped the word. She went out of her way to make herself worthy of its use when people referred to her. Too often trust went hand in hand with being gullible. Yet again, she had proven herself the latter. Look up gullible in the dictionary and her name would be listed next to her contact information, social security number, and bank account numbers complete with pass codes because she would have been stupid enough to give it to whoever asked.

She elbowed her way to the bar counter, ignoring the annoyed expressions of those around her. "Give me a tall glass of whatever will fuck me up the fastest and make sure it's sweet."

The bartender gave her a knowing look before turning away to fix her drink.

"That order could also describe a man," the man standing next to her said in an Asian-accented voice.

Nami glanced at him. She didn't rally see him, though. All she saw was man. One of the annoying, self-appointed rulers of the world in which she lived. He and the rest of his gender were the enemy. "So very not interested." She turned to face the bartender to watch him mix her drink, but he'd disappeared into the back of the bar, so she settled on staring at the liquor bottles.

The bartender returned with an hourglass shaped plastic cup the length of her forearm that glowed under the bar's black lights. He placed it before her. "Fifteen."

The man who had spoken earlier reached for his pocket. "I would like --"

Nami slapped a twenty on the counter. "Keep the change." She snatched up the drink and walked away.

The bar sported small booths in the darkest recesses of the establishment, probably meant for intimate interludes. Nami wanted to enjoy her pity party alone. She would drink the dayglow orange cocktail, of which she'd forgotten to ask the name, and hope it drowned out her stupidity.

Only morons fell for the line Nami had swallowed. Being in Vegas -- the city of "what happens here stays here" -- made it worse. Except she'd been too stupid to realize the guy she wanted to do it with didn't want to do it with her.

No, what really made the situation worse was she and the guy who had snubbed her were attending a company seminar together. She wouldn't be able to avoid him. She also wouldn't be able to avoid the lectures her friend Geena, also at the seminar, would surely have for her. Geena had warned Nami not to be fooled, but Nami had plowed forward, heedless of the danger signs. She sighed into her drink. "Idiot," she snapped.

"I do not think you know me well enough to call me that."

Nami looked up at the man who had been trying to talk to her before. "Why are you bothering me? I said I'm not interested."

"Once you finish that drink --" he gestured at the tall plastic cup -- "I'm sure you will be."

"You actually admit that you're waiting until I'm drunk so you can take advantage?"

"Yes."

She cocked her head to the side as she regarded him.

"Points for honesty?"

"Sit." She gestured across from her but he slid into the booth beside her. Inching away only made him move closer. "What's your story?"

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SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES: VOLUME 1

SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES: VOLUME 1

Captain of Nara’s Heart by Laurann Dohner

Nara knew she was taking a risk with illegal trading. Sure enough, she's been arrested, caged - and will be auctioned as a sex slave. One look at the scary alien buyers and she frantically makes a deal, agreeing to be sold to Captain Vellar, who turns out to be large, sexy and seriously in heat. Offering her body to the captain is a given...but Nara didn't expect to lose her heart in the process.

Dragon Heat by Mel Teshco

A highly skilled operative, Grace has been trained to track, fight and kill paranormal creatures. Only after she's in the clutches of her latest target, a devastatingly sexy dragon-shifter, does she discover betrayal in her ranks. Suddenly the hunter is the hunted. Grace will soon uncover her ex-agency's horrific agenda - but not before seeking solace in all the pleasures of the flesh her new dragon ally has to offer.

Dangerous Addiction by Desiree Holt

Having finally realized his dream to own a ranch, Cord is ready for the next step - settling down with the perfect sub. And he's found her in Fallon. A single glance from the smart, sultry beauty makes him hard, but abuse at the hands of her ex-Dom has kept Fallon away from the lifestyle she loves. Needs. It will take bondage, mind-blowing sex, a gentle hand and expert flogging for Cord to help her rediscover her favorite dangerous addiction.

Highland Tryst by Eliza Knight

Having sworn off love, Kari Howard isn't adverse to a little lust when a hot Highlander lands at her feet. Literally. Fin has traveled through time, and given what he's packing under his kilt (good Lord!), Kari expects the sexy Scotsman to make her quake. But she doesn't expect Fin to shake her very foundation...or cherish her for who she is.

Tattoo Witch by Kathy Kulig

There cannot be good without evil, light without dark... At a seaside resort, lovers Sam and Anita meet a mysterious, heavily tattooed couple who refers them to Sinful Designs. The owner is a witch whose magical tattoos grant scorching, kinky sex beyond their wildest fantasies - but there's a catch. Each successive tattoo comes with a darker and scarier curse. Sam and Anita can break the spells...but at what cost?

The Addiction by Jaid Black

The long-awaited sequel to The Possession!

John Calder has everything most men would kill for - golden-Adonis looks, endless money, a steely reputation as a savvy businessman and beautiful women throwing themselves at his feet. Then he meets Shelli Rodgers, a quirky, klutzy Ph.D. student who takes John on an emotional and sensual journey, giving him the one thing he's never attained - happiness.

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Excerpts From SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES, VOL. 1

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

An Excerpt From: CAPTAIN OF NARA’S HEART

Copyright © LAURANN DOHNER, 2011

Nara gripped the cage bars and glared at Derrick. “It’s your fault.”

The man inside the cage across from hers sported a black left eye and cut cheek. “I said I’m sorry.”

The words didn’t dispel her anger. She wanted to punch her newly fired ex-mechanic again. “You were supposed to buy a burner thruster valve. What did you do with the credits instead?”

He glanced away, guilt clearly displayed across his features. “I… Hell, Nara. I hadn’t had a woman in months. Have you seen the pleasure workers on Divian Station?”

Nara’s temper increased. “Isn’t that ironic? You wasted the money intended to keep our shuttle flying and now we’re the hookers.”

Her navigator, Brianna, sighed from behind her. “Being sold into the pleasure market for a year beats spending five years at Alto Prison.”

Nara spun to glare at her. “You might not have a problem spreading your thighs for any alien who buys you, but I do. I have standards.”

Brianna laughed. “What would those be? I’ve been on your ship for over a year and you’ve never gotten laid. Maybe this will be good for you. Maybe we’ll be sold to a Yovolian. They’re great in bed, have two dicks and are fond of humans.”



An Excerpt From: DRAGON HEAT

Copyright © MEL TESHCO, 2011

Shaking off sudden doubt, she took one more second to summon her wealth of training and steady her nerves before turning the knob. The bedroom door swung open—just as a man emerged from the en suite bathroom.

Grace’s heartbeat kicked up a gear even as her senses hummed, every cell detonating into life as her ability to sense the supernatural flicked on like an internal switch.

Excitement flared. What was he?

She licked her lips, the sexual innuendo having little to do with the role she played and everything to do with the buck-naked, gold-skinned Adonis who was her target.

Benson Marres. Billionaire recluse and seasoned womanizer.

“You’re here,” he said with husky appreciation.

It was obvious he’d just had a shower. His shoulder-length, glossy black hair was still wet, his bare shoulders gleaming with moisture beneath the muted lights. But it was his cock, thickening as he openly perused her, that had Grace forgetting her mission for just one moment.

She tore her stare away from his arousal to meet his amused, gleaming gold-brown eyes. He stepped toward her, and even in heels she had to tilt her chin upward to hold his gaze.

Damn. The photos hadn’t done him justice.

She completely understood why more than a handful of operatives had chosen this man as their prime suspect, even without her bizarre ability to identify anything paranormal. Benson carried an animal quality that was unmistakable and all too primal.

But a shape-shifter? A dragon?

She inwardly smirked. She and her team had been witness to a lot of fucked-up shit that few humans would ever encounter, but this time they’d speculated too far.

Dragon, my ass!



An Excerpt From: DANGEROUS ADDICTION

Copyright © DESIREE HOLT, 2011

The steaks were cooked to perfection, better than she’d had in a long time. When they finished, they brought their plates into the house and, as Fallon rinsed and put them in the dishwasher, she looked up at Cord. “So what’s for dessert?”

He dragged his index finger lightly down her cheek. “I’m hoping that’s you, darlin’.”

His husky voice sent shivers skating along her spine, had her pussy throbbing—hard.

She wet her lips. “Oh?”

He turned her to face him, cupping her cheeks in his warm palms. God, he smelled so nice—horseflesh and hay and citrus and male. She couldn’t stop herself from taking a deep breath to savor his scent.

His smile was definitely rooted in the devil. “I think you know exactly what I mean, Fallon. We’ve been avoiding the issue since the day we met. Face it. Like attracts like, and you know it.”

Fallon’s knees were weak and she wasn’t sure she could stay on her feet. His touch alone was enough to melt her. The fact that he wasn’t dancing around the knowledge of what they were was even more shattering. Yes, it was exactly as she’d told Claire­—Cord Jamieson was the ultimate Dom. He’d zeroed in on her at their first meeting, no mistake about it.

“So…” She couldn’t think. Had no ready, witty remarks.

“So,” he repeated—and brought his mouth down on hers.



An Excerpt From: HIGHLAND TRYST

Copyright © ELIZA KNIGHT, 2011

Kari sighed heavily, wanting sleep, but she was in even greater need of salty sea air. As she parked her car at the pier and climbed out, something dropped to the ground from the door pocket. A book. She bent down and picked up the romance novel she’d been reading while at the beach over the weekend. The cover image of a tall, muscular Highlander—his arms wrapped around his lady love—screamed of romantic and sensual promises. But it was all a load of crap.

She’d never been happy in a relationship, and hadn’t found a guy yet who gave a shit about her in bed.

Damn men to hell!

She walked briskly to the nearest trashcan and tossed the book inside. Romance like that never happened. It was pure fantasy. She wouldn’t believe in that crap ever again, as long as she lived, even if a hot, kilt-wearing, Scottish-brogue-bearing Highlander fell from the sky and landed at her feet.

A loud crack of thunder made her jump. The strike of lightning that followed had her bending and covering her head.

Where had that come from?

What had been a perfectly glorious day was now black and ominous. Huge pellets of rain beat down on her. Kari straightened and whirled around to run back to her car—and immediately tripped over something large that hadn’t been in her path before.

When she looked down, her eyes widened in disbelief. She must be going crazy.

On the ground lay a handsome, dark-haired, enticingly well-built man—in a kilt! His chest was completely bare. He opened his startling gray eyes and smiled at her. When he spoke, his voice was sensual, gravelly and thick with a Scottish accent.

“Well, lass, this isn’t what I expected Heaven to be like at all.”

Kari’s eyes rolled back in her head. She dropped like a ton of bricks.



An Excerpt From: TATTOO WITCH

Copyright © KATHY KULIG, 2011

“What if I told you there was a way to increase your sexual enjoyment by at least ten times, be more adventurous, have longer hard-ons and multiple orgasms?” Rene looked at Anita. “Anita, wouldn’t you love to have multiple orgasms whenever you willed them to happen?”

Anita rolled her eyes. “I have orgasms.”

“Four or five in one night—without being touched?”

“I’d say you’re full of shit,” Anita said.

Sam nearly choked on his beer. Anita Brooke never swore in front of strangers. She was getting drunk. Damn, he wasn’t getting any tonight.

“Do you believe in magic, the supernatural?”

“I try to keep an open mind.” Sam didn’t want to discount anything. But more than that, he wanted to see where this was going.

“Try one of the tattoos at Sinful Designs. Just one. I promise you won’t be disappointed,” Rene said. A slight look of fear flashed across her eyes and sent a shiver down Sam’s spine. She didn’t look the type to scare easily.

“Sounds too good to be true,” Sam replied as he briefly fantasized a few possibilities—sex on the raft, sex with this couple and a few positions Anita wasn’t crazy about trying. His cock throbbed as his heart pounded in his chest. The woman didn’t look like she was lying. Was business so bad that the tattoo parlor would think up this fantastical story to bring in a few customers?

Rene placed a hand on his arm. “Honest, Sam, we don’t make out financially if you get a tattoo. We’re just amazed by this woman. She’s a witch, you know. Her name is Cassandra.”

“A witch?” Anita asked.

Rene smiled at Sam. “Trust me. You will have the most scorching sex you could ever imagine.”



An Excerpt From: THE ADDICTION

Copyright © JAID BLACK, 2011

John stood to leave, then paused as a loud boom snagged his attention. He glanced up at the stage, immediately noticing that the stripper working the middle pole—the brunette—had taken a fall. Instinctively he took a step toward her to help, but stopped as she stood up and continued gyrating as though nothing had happened.

One eyebrow rose. Curious, John sat back down.

He watched the brunette dance—or try to dance, was more to the point—for the next fifteen minutes. She was a beautiful woman with dark hair and Elizabeth Taylor eyes. Her body was lush and provocative, curvy in all the right places. Big tits, round ass—gorgeous. But her dancing…

She didn’t belong up there. That realization intrigued him all the more.

For the first five minutes John had wondered if all the falls and klutzy mistakes had been done on purpose, though he’d never heard of comedic stripping. It became rapidly apparent that, no, the horrific pole work was not an act and the brunette simply couldn’t dance to save herself. When her fangs fell out and landed in a patron’s expensive drink, well, that was the capper.

John’s mouth curved into a smile. She definitely didn’t belong up there.

He pulled out a crisp one hundred dollar bill and held it up so she’d see him and come closer. The blondes swarmed him like vultures, but he paid them no attention as he waited on the brunette to notice him. She never did. She was too busy biting her tongue in concentration as she danced—if one stretched the meaning of the word far enough—around the pole.

The two blondes prudently scurried over to different customers, aware that they wouldn’t be getting that bill out of John’s hand. His gaze was fixed on the clumsy brunette. When the object of his interest fell down and banged her knees for what had to be the fourth time, she managed to break one of her stilettos in the process. John grinned as he watched her take the shoes off and mutter something undecipherable under her breath. Barefoot, she continued to attack the pole, trying to climb up it for reasons unknown. It brought to mind an injured monkey attempting to get up a tree.

He chuckled. Comedic stripping had its values.

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