BEG FOR IT by Stacey Kennedy

BEG FOR IT by Stacey Kennedy

 
Pact of Seduction Book Two

The Pact of Seduction has one rule - fulfill your ultimate fantasy. Bella's problem, she can't live up to her vow. But her failure spins events that lead her into unknown territory. Kole, a Dom at the sex club Castle Dolce Vita, wasn't part of her fantasy, but he's about to show her he should have been.

Kole is more than willing to introduce Bella to BDSM since he's held an interest in her for some time. But the feisty woman isn't easily tamed and her strong personality proves to be difficult. While she might be determined to keep him at a distance, Kole has other ideas. He won't allow her to shut him out.

A pact between best friends brought them together, emotional barriers tear them apart. Kole skillfully reminds Bella through pleasure and punishment that she is now his submissive, and her place is under his command.


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An Excerpt from Stacey Kennedy's Pact of Seduction 2: Beg for It



The warm scent of vanilla drifted through Bella’s nostrils as the soft feminine body molded against hers. Raven’s sparkling green eyes stared back at her, and even her silky, long brown hair invited Bella to take her pleasures.

Then why didn’t she feel aroused?

Even the atmosphere called to her fantasies. Stone walls surrounded her, candles along the floor provided a romantic glow, and a large king-size bed fitted with black silk sheets rested in the center of the bare room.

Raven wore a mauve lace thong, matching bra, and sleek black heels. Her body was nothing less than a perfect ten. Her perky breasts along with her creamy-colored skin should entice Bella. But her dry panties declared her arousal was nonexistent.

Pushing her reservations aside, Bella, who’d dressed in crimson lingerie, pressed her lips against Raven’s. Beneath her touch, the woman’s skin was flawless as she ran her hands over a soft back.

A gentle mouth melted against hers, which was so different than a man’s demanding kiss. Bella parted her lips and welcomed the light swipe of Raven’s tongue; then Bella’s muscles bunched as an unexpected bubble of emotion rose.

She broke the kiss and burst out laughing. “Shit. Sorry.”

Raven dropped her hands that trailed Bella’s arms, then frowned. “Is something about this amusing to you?”

“No. No. I can do this.” She twined her fingers through Raven’s silky hair and yanked the woman forward. “I want this.” Pressing her lips against Raven’s mouth, she swirled her tongue with Raven’s and searched down deep to get her motor running.

Delicate hands slid along her back to rest on her ass and squeeze. Bella sucked in a harsh breath and fought against the reaction burning in her gut, but failed miserably. Her laughter tore from her throat.

“Oh God.” She placed her hand over her mouth in an attempt to hide her smile. “I’m sorry.”

Raven folded her arms. “This is getting old.”

“I know. I thought I wanted this, but when I kiss you, it feels all wrong.”

“Then let’s end this. I won’t be offended.” Raven’s tight features relaxed. “You tried something new, and I give you credit for that. But clearly, you’re not turned on by women.”

Bella’s cheeks warmed. “Clearly not.”

Raven strode over to her robe that rested on the floor by the bed. “You’re a lovely woman, Bella.” She grabbed it, dressed, then handed the other robe to Bella. “I hope you find what you’re looking for. Preferably with someone whom you don’t laugh at when kissing.” With a sweet smile good-bye, she spun on her heels and left the room.

Bella sighed, stared at the now closed door, and wrapped the robe around herself. She was relieved to see Raven go to end this embarrassment, but she was pissed too. She’d made a mess of this, hadn’t she?

The pact of seduction formed with her best friends hung over her. Tonight was her night to fulfill that promise. She thought a woman had been her ultimate fantasy. How wrong had she been?

Failure burned wicked in her body.

She entered the dressing area located at the back of the room, then dropped the robe and slid back into her tight black minidress. Leaving the robe on the bench, she strode out of the room and slammed the door with a loud bang.

Without a hitch to her step, she passed door after door to rooms that probably contained people treating themselves to their sexual fantasies, exactly what she should’ve been doing.

She hurried down the staircase, and the sound of her heels against the wood echoed in the open space.

After a nod at the bouncer who guarded the entrance of Castle Dolce Vita, she opened the thick wooden door and made it to her silver Honda Civic. Her seat belt was fastened, car was started, and she hightailed it out of the parking lot in a single breath.

Darkness surrounded her on the drive from Bowleys Quarters back to Baltimore, and that was fitting since it matched her mood. Each light she passed on the half-hour drive brought her closer to home, which only increased the pout on her face.

After she turned onto the tree-lined street of the two-story colonial-style house that she shared with her three friends, she pulled into the driveway. She parked behind Marley’s SUV, cut the ignition, and heaved a sigh.

A warm glow spread out from the living-room window, indicating everyone was still awake. Not much of a surprise. They had all been on pins and needles when Marley went to fulfill her fantasy. They’d be waiting for her too.

What should I tell them?

Exhaustion weighed her down, leaving her needy and craving a hug. Not a state she enjoyed. She gulped back the emotions pinning her to the seat, exited the car, then approached the house. Be strong, Bella.

At the front door, she ground her teeth to keep from showing her disappointment and entered the home. All three of her best friends, who were watching a movie, looked toward her.

She forced a smile. “Hi.”

“Why are you home?” Marley’s green eyes narrowed on her. “And so soon?”

She shut the door behind her, shed her coat, then kicked off her shoes. Sadie and Kyra shifted along the cushions to make room, and she plopped down into the plush couch. “I couldn’t do it.”

Kyra made a face and flicked her black hair over her shoulder. “Couldn’t do what?”

“My night with Raven.”

Sadie leaned forward, which gave Bella an unwanted view of her newly purchased breasts. “What happened?”

She ran her hands over her face, then dropped them to glance between the women. “Well, we were kissing, and”—she groaned at the memory—“I laughed in her face.”

A pause followed; then laughter erupted, and Bella couldn’t help but chuckle too. The heavy weight in her chest released and her muscles relaxed.

Of course they’d understand.

“So you’re not attracted to women,” Marley said, her dark curls bouncing off her shoulders as she shook with silent laughter.

She grunted. “Not at all.”

“What’s the plan now, then?” Sadie glanced at Marley and Kyra before her warm chocolate-colored eyes focused back on Bella. “I mean, not that I don’t understand, but we made this pact.” Her look became knowing. “You’ll have to come up with another fantasy.”

She nibbled her bottom lip. “I don’t have any other fantasies, though.” She was aware that she hadn’t looked at Marley. BDSM made her confused and curious all at the same time.

Kyra offered a kind smile. “You’ve got time to sort it out. Sit on it for the next week and see if you can think of anything.” She waved her hand dramatically. “Lord knows the castle has everything and anything you could dream up.”

Always the voice of reason, Kyra was. “True.” She released her teeth that dug into her lip and pushed the frustration behind her, more than done with it all. “Is Reed’s party tomorrow night still a go?”

Marley nodded. “Yes, and you’re going.” She gave a shit-eating grin. “If you’re not getting all hot and bothered this weekend, you might as well get drunk.”

At least there was that.

* * * *

On Saturday night, Kole finished stocking the beer in the fridge and heard the crowd behind him grow louder. He grabbed a beer for himself and cracked it open.

After a big gulp of the brew, he moaned from the crisp aftertaste, then scanned his condo that he shared with Reed. Both were criminal lawyers with a top firm in Baltimore, but that wasn’t their only shared connection; they were both sexual dominants.

The roommate relationship had worked out well, and with the shared mortgage, they could afford the luxurious condo.

Their living room was full of friends from the castle, some from the law firm, and others just personal friends. It always amused him to watch those who didn’t live the D/s lifestyle mix with people who did.

For most, they’d never notice the way the submissives doted over their Masters, seated lower than the ones who commanded them. But Kole saw it clearly, and it created an ache in the pit of his stomach.

While he didn’t want a submissive 24-7, he had wanted one when he demanded it. And he’d never found a submissive who intrigued him enough to start a long-term relationship with.

As he continued to survey the room, one woman caught his eye, and the tension in his muscles increased.

Bella sat on the couch, a gin and tonic in her hand, while her three best friends laughed around her. He’d never seen the woman look so depressed. She’d always been full of sass and the life of the party.

All the reasons he craved to have her under his command. As a man, he appreciated her saucy attitude and the strength she portrayed. As a Dom, he’d enjoy seeing her lose it when she gave him control.

More to the point, her beauty appealed to him; her long blonde hair flowed beautifully over her shoulders, and her tight body aroused him. But the submissive buried inside her tempted him repeatedly.

A low laugh dragged Kole out of his thoughts. He flicked his gaze away from Bella to find amused blue eyes staring back at him. Reed cocked his head. His dirty-blond hair fell over his eyebrow. “Hiding in here, are you?”

“Not hiding, watching.”

“Ah, the Dom in you can’t help but study.” Reed grabbed a beer out of the fridge, opened it, then took a sip. “Who are we studying?”

Kole glanced over at Bella, and her gaze that normally sparkled with life only held dismay. “What’s going on with Bella?”

“You just won’t leave it alone, will you?”

He ignored the jab that Bella shouldn’t intrigue him since she hadn’t shown an interest in him for anything more than friendship or in BDSM. “I can’t help but notice she seems out of sorts.” He looked back at Reed. “And that’s unlike her. She’s always so put together.”

Reed leaned his hip against the kitchen table and examined Bella. “From what Marley told me, she went to the castle for her night with Raven but couldn’t go through with it.”

Kole shifted on his feet, and his chest constricted at the thought of her being with anyone. “I could’ve saved her the embarrassment and told her that myself; she’s not a lesbian.”

Reed nodded firmly. “I’d imagine she realizes that now.”

Kole gazed over Bella, pondering the complex puzzle that she was. He’d seen from day one that she had submissive tendencies. But it wasn’t his place to inform her, nor was it his place to put her under his command, even if it’d please him.

With a grunt, he glanced at Reed. “What’s with the long face, though?”

“Marley said she’s frustrated because she failed.” Reed’s stare became pointed. “You know Bella. I’m sure her pride is playing a part here.”

Kole took another gulp of his beer; then he shook his head in frustration. “It’s bothering me much more than it ought to, knowing that I could guide her way.”

Reed snickered. “Back to this, are we?”

It wasn’t a secret that Kole had an interest in Bella. Hell, how could he hide it? Every time they all went out to a dance club or even met at a pub for Sunday Night Football, she teased him. But he wasn’t the only one captured by a woman. “Marley spun you just as hard.”

Reed inclined his head. “Got me there.” Then, his expression firmed. “But this is different. Marley knew the lifestyle interested her. Bella doesn’t. If you plan to stick to vanilla sex, then by all means”—he waved out toward Bella—“enjoy yourself. But it should stop there.”

Vanilla sex didn’t interest Kole. Even if Bella could use a good lay to brighten her mood, he didn’t have it in him not to demand her submission, especially once he settled himself between her luscious thighs.

Reed continued, “If Bella finally realizes that her tastes extend to BDSM, then it’s my responsibility as Marley’s Dom—and boyfriend—to place her with the right one.” He lifted his chin, his voice deepening. “That’s not you.”

Kole snorted. “Thanks for the high opinion, jackass.”

“You know what I’m saying, Kole.” Reed’s tone softened, and he placed a hand on Kole’s shoulder. “You’ve never taken a newbie who’s as innocent as Bella into a scene.”

“I don’t think she’s as innocent as she puts off,” Kole retorted. “There’s a feisty woman in her, and that strength I’d imagine would make for a sub I’d enjoy.”

“Strengthwise, yes,” Reed countered. “But she’s not submissive in nature. I doubt she has it in her to give you the control you want.” He dropped his hand, folded his arms. “And then I’ll be placed in a position to explain why she can’t sit for a week since her ass will be marked for her disobedience.”

Kole was well aware of who he was and that he enjoyed pushing his subs to extremes that Reed would never go in order to show their submission to him. Plus that he tolerated much less than Reed did from a submissive.

But something existed between him and Bella, and that told him that Reed’s worries were irrelevant. He wouldn’t be drawn to a submissive who couldn’t give him what he needed as a Dom.

Reed stared hard into Kole’s eyes and finally sighed. “Fuck, my talk is pointless, isn’t it? You’re going to go after her, aren’t you?”

Nothing Reed had said would dissuade him. An opportunity had presented itself that he wouldn’t let pass him by. Bella needed a fantasy. And he’d give her the one he knew she craved, even if she didn’t realize it. “I’ll introduce the idea and let her decide if she wants to pursue it.”

“Introduce, huh?”

Kole grinned. “I’ll awaken that dormant submissive in her, let her squirm awhile until she realizes I’m exactly what she needs.”

Reed exhaled, long and deep. “Promise me you won’t push her excessively if she doesn’t submit to you as you’d like?”

“You know”—he glared at Reed—“for my roommate and friend, your opinion of me is discouraging.”

Reed’s expression was measured. “I’m well aware that you push subs when they’re under your command.” He gestured toward Bella. “Be careful with her, or Marley will rip into me, and I won’t hear the end of it.”

“I won’t push past her limits, even if those limits are way too low.” He cocked his head and sighed in exasperation. “Does that suffice?”

Reed nodded. “That’ll do.” He grabbed another beer out of the fridge, then left the kitchen to join Marley.

Kole leaned against the counter, pursed his lips, and regarded Bella. He had no doubt if he offered himself to her for a night of blistering hot sex, she’d jump on the chance, but getting her into a scene might prove difficult.

She clearly sensed his gaze on her, since she’d glanced at him. A pretty blush filled her cheeks, and she looked down at the glass in her hands. A reaction he enjoyed.

He suspected when Bella wanted a man, she didn’t hold back and went after him. But when it came to him, she was a shy little thing who couldn’t hold his gaze.

Submissive.

Tonight, he needed to open the doorway so she’d finally stop ignoring her interests in BDSM.

You’ve got your work cut out for you.

Good thing he loved a challenge.


© Stacey Kennedy, May 2012
All Rights Reserved

DEMONICALLY TEMPTED by Stacey Kennedy

DEMONICALLY TEMPTED by Stacey Kennedy

Frostbite Book Two

Tess Jennings, now a member of the Memphis Police Department, is on her first cold case. The suspected suicide of Lizbeth Knapp ten years ago isn't a theory her family accepts - they believe she was murdered.

But the case is only one of Tess's worries. Ghosts are talking, and word of her abilities rapidly spreads. A dark ghost is terrifying the spirits of Memphis, and she must force the entity to cross over.

Tess doesn't have to do this alone. Not only does she have her ghost-lover, Kipp McGowen, but the department has brought in a medium. Dane Wolfe might answer all her questions, but he also brings a world of trouble. Will Tess finally have all she's ever wanted, or will everything she's vowed to protect be ripped away?

*SERIES DOES NOT CONTAIN STANDALONE STORIES. MUST BE READ IN ORDER. FIRST BOOK IN SERIES IS SUPERNATURALLY KISSED*

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Excerpt:

Copyright © STACEY KENNEDY, 2012

Chapter One

The old farmhouse had seen better days. Not only could it use a coat of paint, but it also needed a dose of love. Dry, brown grass surrounded the home, and the only flowers topped four-foot high weeds.

I glanced next to me at Zach—a cop with the Memphis P.D.—and crinkled my nose. “Someone actually lives here?”

His blue eyes met mine and he ran a hand through his blond, stylish hair and shrugged. “Max said the victim’s sister still resides in the home where the death happened.”

As he lowered his arm, he cringed, and I winced at the memory. Heck, only weeks ago he’d been stabbed and shot in the shoulder.

The man who caused Zach’s injury got it worse—by my very hand, no less—but I was glad Hannah Reid’s murderer hadn’t returned to haunt me.

I might have suffered some serious remorse. That is, if I didn’t believe God wouldn’t punish me because I killed a murderer. Brody would’ve done the same to me if I hadn’t gotten to him first. I tried my best to stick with that theory. It saved me from the lingering guilt I might—and would never admit to—have for taking a life.

Sure, there was an internal investigation through the police department, and I had been questioned until my voice went scratchy. But in the end, the shooting had been declared self-defense, and I was perfectly happy with that. Or so I told myself every day until I finally believed it.

Besides, the cops that I now worked alongside had my back throughout the investigation, and nothing would change that. We’d grown close through the time spent during the Reid case, and even closer in the weeks that followed.

“I’m going to see if Lizbeth is out here somewhere,” Kipp—a ghost, and my lover—said, dragging me from my thoughts.

Yes, our relationship was complicated and it’s insanely sick that I’m in love with a ghost, but I wasn’t about to fight my heart’s desire.

“If you find her, then come tell us, immediately. The less time I have to spend in that house, the better.” Scummy houses and me didn’t mesh well. I like cleanliness and hate spiders.

“He’s going off on his own then?” Zach asked.

As of late, Zach had caught on to our conversations better. Seeing that I was the only lucky one—or not so lucky as I viewed it—who could hear ghosts’ communication was annoying, at best.

Maybe I gave more descriptions in my answers than I normally did, or maybe he’d gotten used to having to fill in the blanks. Whatever it was, I appreciated the ease of our conversations now. The back and forth got on my last nerve.

As Kipp strode away, I stared at his scrumptious ass filling his dark blue jeans. The man might be a ghost, but he was sex packaged into muscular goodness.

One of his eyes was chocolate brown, while the other was crystal blue, and he had untidy brown hair that no matter how messy only made him look more attractive. And he was all mine.

I blinked, pulling myself away from my ogling, and frowned at Zach. “Ready?”

His gaze danced with laughter, yet a smile never appeared. “For someone who accepted a job with the department, you would think you’d hold more excitement.”

“Just because I can officially call myself part of the police department—which is absurd, by the way—doesn’t mean I still don’t have hesitations.”

My gift took a while to adjust to but I knew when to see reason. Helping ghosts that had met a horrible fate wasn’t a bad job. That is, as long as I didn’t run into any more crazy-ass killers who wanted to make me a ghost, too.

Zach approached the house, and I trailed after him, not showing half the confidence he carried in his gait.

I climbed the old steps, slightly worried the wood would break under my weight, but seeing Zach went first and the man was all power, the wooden planks could support my slender frame.

He knocked on the door. And a moment later, it opened to a woman who matched the house. She appeared to be in her fifties, but the dark circles under her eyes and the hunch to her shoulders made her look well worn.

“Ms. Knapp?” Zach asked.

“Yes.” Her voice dripped with despair. “Are you the detectives?”

Zach nodded. “Is it still all right if we come in?”

She widened the door, and moved aside. “Please call me Anna.”

“Thank you, Anna.” Zach entered the home. “We appreciate you taking the time to discuss Lizbeth with us.”

I hesitantly followed and tried my damndest not to let my repulsion in the house show. Not an easy feat.

“Please, will you have a seat?” She waved out to a couch that I wouldn’t sit on even if it had a layer of plastic over top of it.

I held back my desire to gag, and twirled my finger in my brown, shag-cut hair. “I’m okay here, thanks.”

Zach grimaced at me before he took a seat and shed all emotion as he turned to Anna. “We’re aware that this will be difficult for you to discuss, but we need you to remember anything you can from when Lizbeth died.”

“I’m not sure I can tell you anything that…” She peeked up at the ceiling. I followed her gaze seeing dark brown stains, and restrained my shudder. “…Max, was that who I spoke with?”

“That’s right. He’s the sergeant.” Zach smiled softly. “He told us the necessary information, but I’ve learned it’s always best to hear it directly for myself.”

In all actuality, I hadn’t heard all the details except that I was officially on my first cold-case.

“Well,” Anna paused, glancing down at her fingers as she fiddled them. “It started a year before Lizbeth’s death. She began to act differently.”

Zach pulled his pad of paper and pen from his pocket, and flipped the notebook open. “Can you explain that in more detail?”

I clasped my hands in front of me. Just because I was now part of team didn’t mean I would start acting like a cop in any official capacity. Let’s be serious now. I wasn’t really a detective.

Anna continued, “She’d talk to me about an evil presence around her.”

“Evil?” I gasped.

“I know how funny it sounds. At the time, it did to me, too. But looking back, Lizbeth just didn’t seem like herself, and maybe I should’ve listened to her.” Anna crossed her arms and shifted in her seat. “She used to be a very happy young woman. Full of life and spirit, but all of a sudden she seemed so dark.”

I gave my head a shake, trying to make sense out of her nonsense. “Dark how?”

“Depressed.” Anna exhaled. “She never came out of her room, and totally withdrew from life.”

“She was suicidal, then?” Zack asked with a gentle tone.

“I suppose you’d draw that conclusion from what I’m telling you now, but the truth is I never took her to be the type.” She gave a knowing look. “Like I said, she was well adjusted and quite happy.”

“But you just said she was depressed,” I countered.

“Yes, I did, but still, Lizbeth was a fighter. She used to tell me that this evil presence was overtaking her soul, and she tried so hard to fight against it.”

Zach made a face. I made one of my own. We were speaking English, yet gibberish would have made more sense.

Seeing that we were getting nowhere, and I suspected Anna had lost her mind a long time ago, I moved along. “Did her condition get worse?”

“It got so bad, my parents had no idea what to do. You have to remember it was a different time. The medications for depression that exist today didn’t back then.” Tears welled in her eyes, but they cleared just as quick. “My parents took her to a doctor, even admitted her into a hospital, but my mother couldn’t manage to leave her there. She thought love would bring Lizbeth out of her trouble.”

“Clearly, it didn’t.”

“That’s right, it only got worse. Lizbeth started to hurt herself.”

Zach’s eyebrows rose. “You mean, caused injuries to herself?”

“No one ever knew—and Lizbeth never said—how she did it. But she had lacerations all over her back.”

Zach scribbled notes, and then peered at Anna. “Did Lizbeth ever say anything to you about the wounds?”

Those tears now weren’t so easily pushed away. “She was adamant she had never caused them.”

One conclusion came to my mind. “No one believed her, did they?”

“Who else would have done it?” Anna retorted. “At that point, Lizbeth hadn’t left the house in over six months.”

Zach stared at Anna, his gaze probing. I inhaled deeply, understanding the frustration. The dust in the room settled into my nostrils. I rubbed at the tickling in my nose, and considered what she had told us.

It seemed to me Lizbeth had clearly been suicidal. I’d watched television shows were people cut themselves. Maybe this was all that was going on here. Case closed.

Zach scribbled a few more lines of notes then scrutinized Anna. “How did Lizbeth act in the days before she died?”

“Strange.” Anna wiped the tears from her face. “She always had this dark cloud over her, but in the week before her death it became much worse. She’d stopped eating and we had to force liquids down her throat.” Her chin quivered, more tears spilling. “But it was in her eyes where I saw her demise.”

“What did you see?” I whispered, not totally sure I wanted to hear her answer.

“She was already dead.”

Zach coughed. “Pardon?”

“Lizbeth was no longer in her body.” Anna shook her head, sending more tears rushing down her cheeks. “I know that sounds crazy, but that’s the only way I can describe it. She had already left.”

“Where did she go?” I urged.

“I have no idea. All I know is she was gone.”

My assumptions that Anna was off her rocker deepened. One question would solidify if I believed she held any sanity at all. “Why do you stay here…in this house?”

Anna’s eyes swam in sadness. “I’m afraid that Lizbeth is still here, and if I leave she’ll be all alone. I don’t have the money to fix the house. Since her death—times have been hard.”

Wasn’t I a shit? Her answer was clear and concise, and, well…I could understand her reasons. If she were insane, I assumed her purpose for staying here would be, too.

Zach closed his notebook, and placed it into the pocket of his black slacks. “Would you take us outside to the water and discuss what happened the night she died?”

“Of course.” Anna stood from the couch and approached the front door.

Zach gestured toward the hall. I took the hint. Since Kipp hadn’t returned yet, it confirmed he hadn’t found Lizbeth’s ghost. Before we left I needed to check out the house to see if she remained. “Do you mind if I use your washroom?”

“Not at all.” Anna dabbed her tears with a tissue, and then raised her chin. “It’s down the hall—third door on the right.”

“Thank you.” I headed toward the hallway while Zach continued to ask Anna another question as they exited the front door.

The hallway was in a similar condition to the rest of the house, completely in shambles. The flowered wallpaper was peeling off the walls and the color of it resembled something not worth discussing. I wrinkled my nose, catching a whiff of mold, and continued walking.

To my left was an open door to a bedroom. I peeked in and clothes were thrown over the light blue bedspread. Furniture was scarce, but the room seemed lived in. It did appear slightly more taken care of than the rest of the home, which drew the conclusion that this had to be Anna’s bedroom.

I scanned the room and couldn’t see Lizbeth’s ghost, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t there. She could be hiding. “Lizbeth,” I whispered.

No one responded.

Leaving the room, I carried on down the hall to another bedroom on the right, but as I called out her name again, I received the same response.

The bathroom was to my left and another room lay on the right. The door was closed and I did my best to keep quiet as I opened it. I couldn’t hear Zach or Anna in the house anymore, but I didn’t want to chance it. I pushed the door open and it creaked.

I peered in and my heart skipped a beat. “Creepy.”

The room wasn’t in the same condition as the house. It looked brand new, even the paint on the walls appeared fresh, and Lizbeth’s name was written in wooden letters above the dresser.

Of all the rooms to keep nice, Anna chose this one. I couldn’t decide if that was sweet or freaky.

“Lizbeth,” I whispered again only to be met with silence. I’d never had a ghost hide from me before, usually they were so intrigued by my ability they always approached.

I closed the door, headed for the bathroom, and went straight for the sink. At least the room was clean. Yes, in horrible condition, but the yellow bathtub had been scrubbed recently.

At the sink, I turned on the faucet to wash the icky feeling off my hands. I wanted to get home and have a shower. Being in this house for even a few minutes had left my skin feeling filthy and downright gross.

I waited a moment to let the water warm since the pipes thumped indicating trouble stirred, and just as I placed my hands under the water, a voice startled me. “Why are you in my house?”

I looked over my shoulder and spotted a middle-aged ghost dressed in a double-breasted black coat, white dress shirt, and fitted tanned breeches.

“I beg your pardon,” I snapped. “But I don’t deserve to be glared at—or spoken to in that nasty tone—when I’ve done nothing wrong.”

“You can hear me?” His eyes widened. “You can see me?”

“Yes I can.” I returned the glower he not-so-kindly offered me. “Why are you so rude?”

“I-I-I…”

“Classic.” I snorted. “The ghost is beside himself. Isn’t it supposed to be the live person who is shocked when they see a ghost?”

“You’re alive?”

Now he was being just downright mean. I shut off the faucet, and with the water dripping off my fingertips, I turned to face him. “Do I look dead to you?”

He gave me a once over with an expression that left something to be desired. “No, but why are you glowing?”

“Yes, well,” I wiped my damp hands on my skinny jeans, “that’s my ability.”

He examined my gold hue—or so I’d been told that is how it appeared—and by his huge eyes this revelation stunned him. “And this ability is how you can see me?”

I wasn’t in any mood to get into this with him. A change in topic was in order. “Have you seen a young girl around here?”

“No,” he responded without haste.

I nibbled my lip, considering that. “Not ever, or not lately?”

“Never.”

If Lizbeth died in misery, it made no sense that her ghost wasn’t here. Ghosts always lingered and needed help to cross over. Someone who committed suicide wouldn’t be a settled soul. And most of the ghosts I’d met returned to a place that had meant something to them. Considering Lizbeth was young when she died, I had assumed she’d come home. Where else would she have gone?

“How long have you been here?” I asked.

“I have no idea.” He paused, thoughtful, then said, “I think it’s been quite some time.”

His response didn’t surprise me. Ghosts never remembered much except what they needed to, to move on. Seeing that this ghost would lead me nowhere, I figured I might as well try and help one ghost today. “Do you want to cross over?”

He scowled. “Are you threatening me?”

“Good God. You’re foul. I’m asking to be nice. I can help you, if you’d like.”

“This is my house. I don’t want to leave. I want you to.”

I grunted. “Trust me, I want the same damn thing.”

He gestured toward the door in what might have seemed like a bow of respect, if his tight features hadn’t thoroughly flipped me off. “Best you see yourself out.”

I had just about enough of his bad attitude. I pointed at him. “You better not go scaring Anna. She’s been through enough.”

“I don’t scare her.” He scoffed. “She’s a lovely woman and I don’t mind her sharing the home with me.”

“I’m glad to hear it, but if I find out you’re frightening her, I will Ghostbuster your ass. Got it, jacko?” I flicked my hair over my shoulder, not waiting for him to respond because frankly, I didn’t give a shit.

I exited the bathroom, heard him grumbling something after me. I really couldn’t blame him, though. If I’d been dead since the eighteen hundreds, from the looks of his clothing, I’d be pissy too.

Once on the front porch, I spotted Zach and Anna. They talked down by a creek that was completely overgrown with weeds, rocks lining the shore.

On my approach, Zach glimpsed at me. I shook my head to indicate I hadn’t found Lizbeth in the house.

He visibly sighed, turning to Anna. “Now that Tess has arrived, would you please tell us what happened?”

I took a moment to scan the area, and listened hard to see if I could hear anything, but only the sound of rushing water and chirping birds filled my ears.

The air around the home smelled so fresh, and thrived with nature, it was a wonderful contrast to the dust and mold inside the house.

Anna drew in a long, deep breath. “It was a spooky evening that night. The fog settled above the water and the full moon provided a lot of light.” Her eyes glazed over, lost in memory. “I heard Lizbeth leave the house, so I went over to my bedroom window.”

I glanced at the house. One lone window faced the creek.

“I saw Lizbeth walking out to the water. She wore just her white nighty, and she was so frail.” Anna rubbed her arms. “She was all skin and bones.”

“She came out here alone?” I asked.

Anna nodded. “I didn’t see anyone with her, at the time. She stood by the water’s edge and was so pretty.”

I had a hard time imagining anyone as pretty in the way Anna had described. But I wasn’t about to bring up that point and merely listened as she went on.

“Lizbeth looked over her shoulder, and I’m still not sure how she knew I was watching her, but she smiled one of the coldest smiles I’d ever seen.” Anna hugged herself. “I’m sure that smile will haunt me forever.”

I gulped, a sudden nervousness wrapped around me and icy fingertips ran up my spine.

“What did she do after that?” Zach asked.

Anna inhaled sharply, clearly pulling herself away from the horrifying memory. “She turned toward the water, walked in, and killed herself.”

Had I heard her right? “Are you saying she drowned herself?”

“I know that’s hard to believe, but the second I saw her walk into the creek, she submerged herself into the water. That’s when I ran out after her.”

“What happened when you reached her?”

“She was floating, head first, and so I pulled her out.” A tear slid along her cheek, and she wiped it away. “I tried to do CPR, but it didn’t matter, she was already gone.”

Silence drifted around us. I welcomed it. This story needed some time to process, and even after a minute or so, I still came up empty.

Anna gazed out at the water, as she cried. I couldn’t imagine what it’d be like to be here, staring at this water, and remembering what happened. How did she continue to live in that house?

A nudge on my arm had me glancing over at Zach. He mouthed the words, “Is she here?”

I shook my head.

His brow puckered.

Lizbeth’s lack of appearance seemed unusual even to me, but I hoped Kipp had better luck.

Zach cleared his throat breaking the silence. “After you pulled Lizbeth out of the water, what happened?”

Anna wiped her damp cheeks. “My mother and father came down and chaos erupted. They yelled, wanting to know what happened to her. When I told them, it was no surprise they didn’t believe me.”

She brought up a good point. “Where are you parents now?”

“Both, long dead.”

Insert foot into mouth! “I’m sorry.”

Anna sighed. “It’s for the best. Lizbeth’s death hit both of them very hard. My mother was never the same and my father became an alcoholic.”

Saddest thing I’d ever heard.

“I can’t find her outside.”

I glanced over my shoulder and Kipp approached, lips pressed into a thin line. Seeing that I couldn’t answer him with Anna here, I simply gave a short nod to show I understood his defeat.

“At what point did you see Hector?” Zach asked.

I gasped, unable to hide my shock. “Someone else saw her in the water?”

Zach nodded. “He’d been the main suspect in her death but—”

“My statement ruled him out,” Anna interjected. “He probably would’ve been found guilty of her murder since he’d been the only other person present at the time of her death. But I said it then, and I’ll say it now, he didn’t kill her. I saw Lizbeth walk into the water and drown herself. I couldn’t make up what I saw.”

“Ask her how she can be so sure,” Kipp said to me.

I shook my head, which I tried to hide by shifting my stance. There was no way I would argue with Anna. Kipp hadn’t heard the rest of the conversation and I believed every word she said.

Instead, I pressed on. “Did you know he was there when you first came out of the house?”

“No,” Anna replied. “He showed up out of nowhere. I hadn’t seen him near the house at all and his arrival startled me. But I’ll tell you one thing, his eyes were exactly like Lizbeth’s.”

My heart did that full skip-a-beat thing, indicating whatever she meant by that, scared me shitless. “They were?”

“When Lizbeth smiled at me, Hector did the exact same thing when he approached. To say it was creepy is really putting it mildly, but it was as if I stared at Lizbeth again—or what Lizbeth had turned into.”

The side of my temple hurt. I zeroed in on Zach. “So after they questioned Hector, they released him?”

“That’s right. But he’s now serving time for an unrelated crime he committed a month after Lizbeth’s death.”

I gave Zach and Kipp a knowing look, and they returned it. As much as Anna was sure of what she saw, I suspected she was wrong. A person in a state of shock might not be able to think straight. I surmised that’s exactly what happened.

“I know what y’all are thinking, but I know what I saw,” Anna said, adamantly. “Lizbeth walked into the water and killed herself. Trust me, I’ll never be able to forget it.” Sadness gone. Determination risen. “No matter how much everyone wanted me to retract my statement and pin it on Hector, I wouldn’t send an innocent man to jail for something he didn’t do.”

Innocent, my ass!

Zach inclined his head, as if he agreed with her, but I knew better. “Is there anything else you can tell us, Anna, that could help us?”

“I’m sorry. That’s all I know.”

“Thank you for talking to us.” I smiled, reached out for her hand and squeezed it. “We’ll do what we can to find out what happened to her.”

Anna returned the smile, but on her, it was despaired. “I appreciate y’all working on this case again. I do hope that you’ll discover what truly happened to Lizbeth. If it’s all right, I’d like to go into the house now.”

“Yes, of course. Thank you for your time.” Zach shook Anna’s hand, and then she started toward the house.

“This is by far the weirdest situation I’ve ever been in,” I whispered to Kipp. “I’ve never experienced a missing ghost before.”

“Quite unusual, to say the least,” he grumbled. “Let’s go to the station and fill Max in on what we’ve discovered.” He sighed. “Or not discovered.”

Without hesitation since I was more than happy to leave, I headed to the truck with the boys following. Anna climbed the steps of her porch, and I remembered there was something I needed to tell her. “Anna,” I called.

She turned.

“You have a very grumpy old ghost in your house, but don’t worry, he likes you.”

She didn’t appear nearly as surprised as I’d expected. Maybe she already suspected a ghost lived with her. Maybe not. But my job was done.

Now on to finding a missing ghost… LIKED THE EXCERPT?? CLICK HERE TO BUY THE eBOOK

SHADOWED SOUL by Stacey Kennedy

SHADOWED SOUL by Stacey Kennedy

A 1 Night Stand Story

Four months have passed since Ellie's heart was broken by her cheating boyfriend, Gerrid. Sick of mourning, she sets out in search of a man to make her forget. Madame Eve of 1Night Stand arranges for Ellie to meet just the man at Nocturnal Nightclub in Miami. Bryce is not only sexy as sin but full of mystery. He does things no man should be capable of. Ellie might question his fast speed, cold hands, and even the way he bites at her skin - if he wasn't so determined to awaken the part of her that's been buried by lies.

Days have passed since Bryce's last feeding and his vampire hungers demand to be sated. But feeding is not his only intention. Ellie seeks to be a different woman, to gain power for herself, and Bryce plans to push her to discover it. To show her she can do things she never thought possible and force her to see the strength she yearns for already lives inside of her.

Ellie will have to choose, expose all of herself, or remain hidden in the dark shadows. But Bryce will have to make a choice of his own - let her go or keep Ellie forever?

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~Excerpt~

Ellie scanned the dance floor, searching for the man matching the picture Madame Eve had emailed her. Instead, she got a few heated glances from guys she wouldn’t touch on her worst days. So, instead of continuing to search, she lingered taking a seat upon a stool, listening to the bartender and Kenna talk dirty nothings to each other. Why isn’t he here?

After she downed her second Cosmo, goose bumps pimpled on the back of her neck, and she glanced over her shoulder to discover her date standing against the back wall. His gaze focused on one person, her.

Hallelujah!

“Oooo...my night is looking up,” she exclaimed.

Kenna didn’t respond, too busy playing googly eyes with the bartender. Ellie jabbed an elbow into her side. She hissed as she rubbed her ribs. “Ow, what?”

“He’s here. I’m going to dance.” She gestured behind her and grinned to show her intentions.

Kenna peeked over her shoulder before focusing back on Ellie and giving a shit-eating grin. “Have fun.”

Ellie slid off the stool, keeping her focus on the stranger. His mere presence screamed sex. Much taller than her five-foot-five frame—around six-two—but built like a brick shit house. His muscular arms were crossed over his chest, his broad shoulders tempting her, and she couldn’t wait to run her hands over them tonight.

Putting a little oomph into her step, she made her way onto the dance floor. The loud techno song washed over her, and the vibrations were strong against her feet. Her kinda music—hard and dirty.

Staying at the edge of the crowd, she found her beat and moved with the rhythm. Twirling, she ran her hands along her torso and did anything and everything to gain his attention.

To all appearances, her plan worked.

He dropped his arms to his side and stepped forward. His sparkling blue eyes, short, fashionably-styled black hair, and chiseled features warmed her right down to her toes. Her heart raced. Her insecurities drifted away. The world around her ceased to exist, leaving only him and her.

Wetness pooled in her panties. His nostrils flared and his heated gaze burned deeper. He approached and as he settled in front of her, he grabbed her lower back and yanked her against his hard body. Her head tilted back and he leaned down, cupped her nape, and kissed her.

A kiss not meant for strangers―not meant as a sweet hello. No, a promise he would pleasure her and she sang a big thank you, Jesus for bringing him to her. No thoughts. No regrets. Just two sweaty bodies going at it until exhaustion set in.

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BIND ME by Stacey Kennedy

BIND ME by Stacey Kennedy

Pact of Seduction Book One

Four best friends embrace their fantasies and make a pact of seduction to live out their deepest and darkest desires. The women place their lives in the hands of fate and one short straw declares Marley will be the first to awaken her secret wishes.

Reed, a Dom at sex club Castle Dolce Vita, has lived the BDSM lifestyle for awhile, but has yet to find a submissive that suits him. That is until he meets Marley, a woman seeking to indulge her fantasies.

As Reed guides her through a night of pleasure, Marley brings more to him than a perfect submissive - she stirs emotions in him long ago lost. By binding Marley, he runs up against his own limits, and now he has to choose between his self-protective barriers or surrendering to the wildfire Marley has reignited in his heart.

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~Excerpt~

Aching feet, too many martinis, and dancing the night away at a club located in the heart of Baltimore led Marley to this moment—her twenty-fifth birthday celebration, to be exact. She plopped down on one of the pillows along the floor, surrounded by her three best friends. The two-story colonial-style house located in the quiet eastern neighborhood of the city had been home to all of them since college.

“Okay, girls, I have an idea,” Bella said.

Sadie’s large breasts—thanks to Dr. Lee—bounced as she squirmed on her pillow. “Oh…do tell.”

“I can hardly wait to hear what you’ve come up with now.” Kyra snorted, flipping her black silky hair over her shoulder.

As usual, Marley didn’t know what Bella was up to. She always attempted to make their lives interesting. “Okay, spill it. What trouble have you planned for us now?”

“Well.” Bella’s crystal blue eyes sparkled with wicked intentions. “Life has been boring lately, right?”

“Mm hm,” Marley responded. That was an understatement. Not saying her job at the elementary school didn’t fulfill her. Heck, she’d worked hard to get the full-time position as a sixth-grade teacher. Yet her life held no spunk. Same routine. Normal hours. Nothing ever changed.

Sure, Marley had had a few boyfriends, but none of them made her feel anything but friendship, and she grew tired of searching for Mr. Right when they all ended up being Mr. Wrong. She’d given up dating altogether a year ago.

“Let’s make a pact of seduction,” Bella said.

Sadie spit out her wine, and it sprayed on Marley’s face. “Oh shit, Marls. I’m so sorry.”

Marley groaned as the warm liquid dripped off her nose. She wiped her face, annoyed, yes, but too stuck on what Bella had said to care. “What do you mean a pact of seduction?”

“Exactly what you think I mean. We each have to fulfill our hottest fantasy. You know, the one you’ve always wanted to do but never thought possible. You’ve got to make it far past what you think you are capable of, something only imaginable in your dreams.”

“You can’t be serious!” Kyra exclaimed.

Bella frowned. “Of course I’m serious. Come on, let’s ruffle things up a bit. We’re all single. Marls is twenty-five now, and the rest of us are all approaching our birthdays too. In a few years we’ll likely be married with kids. All settled down with a life more normal than the one we live now. Let’s do something crazy, fulfill our ultimate fantasy while we still have the chance.” She paused.

Marley blinked.

Bella continued. “Two rules: the first, no judging. We’re here to help each other find our fantasy, not laugh at it. The second, whoever commits cannot back out. Friends’ oath.”

Marley looked to Sadie, who shrugged, but her eyes showed undeniable interest. Kyra nibbled her bottom lip. What to do? Could Marley make such a pact? Their friends’ oath was solid and unyielding. The exact reason their friendship held so tight. They’d never broken a vow to each other, and Marley did have a fantasy.

She spent her days guiding youths to do right, and had always been the one in control—she wanted to give that all up. She wanted a man to show her how to behave properly, and punish her for her disobedience. A man who had a body she could drool over, maybe even smoldering eyes, and one who could lift her tall frame with little effort. Add sex into the equation and heat exploded into every molecule of her body.

Before she agreed to anything, Marley needed to see if this had been just another thought passing through Bella’s busy mind or if she meant what she said. “Exactly how do we decide who goes first?”

“We draw straws.” Bella grinned.

“Draw straws to get it on.” Kyra laughed.

“Yes, exactly,” Bella retorted. “Tell me you’re not a little interested. We’d never fulfill our fantasy alone, or be brave enough to do it. So let’s make a pact. I don’t know about you all, but I’m bored as hell. I need something to spice up my life. Don’t you?”

Marley considered this. If she made the pact with her best friends, there would be no escape. Did she have the strength to make good on her word? She glanced around to her friends, and excitement showed on their faces, even Kyra’s. Marley would let her hesitations go too.

This was her chance to do something she’d never do if not forced. Maybe this could be a turning point for her. A way to break this boring cloud that had settled over her life, and maybe she could meet a man who could stir something more than friendship-level feelings. She drained the rest of her chardonnay, wiped her mouth, and smiled. “I’m in. What do we do next?”

Bella took a pad of paper and a pen off the end table and handed each of the women a sticky note. “We write our fantasies down; then we’ll share them.” She lowered her head, and Marley did the same.

By the time it was Marley’s turn to read her fantasy, she had discovered Kyra wanted two men, Sadie wanted a firefighter, and Bella had an interest in being with a woman.

When all eyes focused on her, Marley cringed. She had a hard enough time thinking these thoughts, let alone voicing them. “I can’t read this to y’all.”

“Oh, it’s gotta be good.” Bella snatched up the paper and read the note. “Our Marley here wants to be dominated.”

“You do?” Sadie asked.

“Like bondage, sadomasochism, that type of stuff?” Kyra interjected before Marley could respond to Sadie.

“Well…” Marley suspected her cheeks burned red. “I’m not sure what I want because I don’t know much about BDSM, but I like the idea of being told what to do and having someone else in control of my pleasure.”

All heads nodded, and in unison they said, “Sexy.”

Bella jumped up, then ran into the kitchen. A moment later, she returned holding four straws. “The shortest straw goes first, and so on. Here, Kyra, you’re up.”

Kyra pulled one that could be the tallest, but at this point, it was only guessing.

Bella held the straws out for Marley. “You next, Marls.”

Marley took a straw and grumbled at the small size, barely measured up to her pinky finger. Okay, she’d agreed; however, she didn’t want to go first. She didn’t think her friends would bail out, and she didn’t plan to either, but she wanted to go somewhere in the middle. A comfortable place to be.

Sadie took her straw, measuring the size of her index finger. Then Bella raised hers. “Hold ’em up, ladies.”

Marley looked from straw to straw, then realized she’d picked the wrong damn straw. Bella was next, then Sadie, with Kyra picking the largest straw. Smiling faces looked at Marley, and she groaned. “Oh no.”

“Oh yes.” Bella beamed. “You’re up, buttercup.” She practically ran over to the computer desk, only to return with her laptop a moment later. “And I’ve got the perfect place in mind.”

“What place?” Marley scooted toward her as Bella clicked away on the keyboard. “And how long have you been planning this?”

“Oh, not long, just a week or so,” Bella replied. “When I did some research on fantasies, I discovered this place in Bowleys Quarters.”

On the small screen, a Web site with a castle decorating the background and big, black, bold letters on the top read, Castle Dolce Vita. “What is it?”

“A sex club.”

Kyra’s eyes went huge. “A what?”

“Don’t get your granny panties all in a bunch.” Bella shushed her with a flip of her hand. “They have forums where you can contact people who have similar interests as you do”—she wiggled her eyebrows—“sexually.”

“Ew.” Kyra groaned. “This sounds really dirty.”

Bella ignored her as she usually did when Kyra protested one of her plans. “I was reading here. The rules are: all participants must sign a waiver form to insure privacy will be kept while at the castle. No cameras allowed and no videotaping permitted. All participants must provide a clear STD and AIDS test and a background check to the members they’re involved with before they are allowed to engage in sexual acts. And lastly, when members are involved in club life, they’re not allowed to engage sexually with anyone outside of the castle.”

Bella stopped reading and glanced to Marley. “Sounds safe to me.”

Marley looked to Kyra, waiting for her to disagree, but she only shrugged. “It sounds safer than if you went to a bar and slept with some random guy.”

“Oh God.” Marley grumbled, dropping her head into her hands, realizing the inevitable had fallen upon her.

“Ha.” Sadie giggled. “Let’s just hope you’ll be saying that when you’re with the guy.”

The others laughed. Marley didn’t. She raised her head, full of apprehension. “Do I have to go first? Can’t one of you?”

Bella scowled. “Fate decided, and you’ve got to listen. Follow the rules, remember.”

“Yeah, yeah, I remember.”

Sadie squirmed closer to Bella to look at the computer screen. “So what do we do to become members of the castle?”

“The rules say it’s by invitation only,” Bella replied. “We have to join the forum, write a letter from Marley describing who she is and what she wants, then wait for someone to call to discuss the possibility of an encounter.”

Kyra snatched the laptop from Bella and settled it onto her lap. “Let me write the letter. We want to make you sound sexy but smart. We don’t need some lunatic responding to you.” She rubbed her hands together. “Now then, let’s make this good.”

* * *

Stone walls didn’t give the air of a warm room, nor did the cold cement on the floor, but it set the mood perfectly for the BDSM scene. Reed circled his submissive as she stood atop a wooden box in the center of the bare room.

Zoie was good and obedient. The nipple clamps pinched her areolae hard, just as Reed wanted. He tugged on one to induce a mild amount of pain, and Zoie whimpered, yet not in a way that made him hesitate—she sounded too desperate. Reed had enough confidence to know she needed more than he could give her.

Not every sub Reed played with could tolerate the pain Zoie managed. He enjoyed pushing her limits because she could take the overload. He added two weights to the chain that connected the nipple clamps. Zoie’s gaze burned with desire as she hissed.

“I think I’ll leave you waiting for a while.” Reed strode toward the other side of the room. He grabbed the plastic bottle off the metal tray containing the sex toys, and drank the lukewarm water as his gaze scanned the small space. The old American country estate, Castle Dolce Vita, catered not only to BDSM but to all desires.

By day he was a criminal lawyer, but on evenings and weekends, the BDSM floor had become his home since his lifestyle submissive, Samantha, left him two years ago. He’d loved; he’d lost. He wouldn’t make the same mistake again.

Just as he placed the bottle back on the tray, the door to the room opened. “You were looking for me.”

Reed glanced over his shoulder to find his good friend and roommate Kole drenched in sweat and running a hand through his blond hair to wipe off the perspiration. Kole punished harder than Reed. Reed used floggers and crops, among other toys, but he refused to make the sub bleed or leave bruises, while Kole delighted in granting such pleasures.

Kole took a quick glance at Zoie before he looked back to Reed with curiosity in his eyes. “What did you want?”

Reed understood his friend’s inquisitiveness—it wasn’t often he called Kole into a scene. “She’s outgrown me, and I think you’d be better suited to her.”

“Sounds interesting.” Kole all but purred. “Tell me about her.”

“She’s got a high tolerance for pain, and I can tell she needs, craves more, but you know it’s not my thing.”

“But it’s mine.” Kole grinned.

Reed held no jealousy, mainly because he’d never had the connection with Zoie to warrant it. If he needed to put his submissive with another dom to satisfy her, he would. No questions asked.

“Well, well. Let’s go have a look, shall we.” Kole stepped over to Zoie. Her breathing hitched when he ran his hand over her hip. He gave her ass a light slap, and Zoie squealed.

Reed settled near her, expected her to focus on him. When she didn’t, he issued a demand. “Zoie, look at me.” He grasped her jaw and squeezed firmly. “Tonight was our last night together.”

She shook her head. He tightened his grip, putting a stop to her disobedience. “Kole will take you on. You’re safe with him. I would not give you to just anyone.”

Zoie’s gaze flickered over to Kole, and excitement lit her eyes. Reed squeezed her jaw again, drawing her attention back to him. “You’ve been a good girl, and I’ve enjoyed my time with you. I offer you Kole as a reward for how much you’ve pleased me.” He kissed her cheek. “Be a good girl for Kole too.”

“I will, Sir,” Zoie responded.

Reed stepped away just as Kole slapped Zoie’s ass with another light hit. Her eyes closed, and she moaned. The reaction from her confirmed Reed had done the right thing. He grinned at Kole, and Kole smiled back.

He turned on his heels and proceeded to leave the room. As he opened the door, he heard Zoie’s screams echo against the stone walls. Kole laughed. “I’m going to enjoy you, sweet Zoie.”

The door closed behind Reed, and silence fell around him as he made his way toward the restaurant. He was satisfied he’d done right by Zoie. However, a thought stayed in his mind: what now, and more importantly…who?

He passed through the dining room in the castle, entered the restaurant, and emptiness greeted him. At this late hour, the only other person here was the barkeep. He took a seat on the stool in front of the black marble countertop where the laptop was located, and the bartender handed him his usual choice of beverage, a cold beer.

Reed took a long swig before he clicked the mouse on the laptop to venture into the BDSM forum. He scrolled down the messages and was not surprised at what he found. Woman looking for dom. Slave ready and willing.

Minutes drew on as he read through them, one by one, and nothing jumped out as an interest. Frustrated, he raised his beer to his mouth again, and as the liquid filled his throat, his gaze landed on something that spiked his curiosity.

The seduction pact! Indulge my fantasy!

He placed his beer back on the bar and clicked on the message. First he saw the words but didn’t pay the note any attention because the picture of the woman captured him and stirred his cock.

Her green eyes stood out against the dark, wavy curls of hair surrounding her face. He glanced over to her stats. Five-eight. His cock grew heavier. Reed stood at six-one. He was always looking down on women at an uncomfortable angle. If this woman had heels on, she’d be close to eye level with him, and the thought aroused him.

He scrolled back up to her message to see what the sexy woman had to say.

One woman needing a dom to fulfill her desires of BDSM. Limits unknown but will try new things to discover herself and satisfy the man who controls her.

Reed’s heart pounded. He wanted to be the one to introduce her to BDSM. His reaction surprised him.

He clicked the claimed button at the top of the screen to indicate she had been contacted by a dom and was now off limits. Then he reached into his pocket to grab his cell phone, and after he entered the last number, he placed the phone to his ear.

It rang twice, and then a string of curse words followed by shuffling filled his ear. Reed had expected to receive voice mail. He had not anticipated someone would answer at this late hour. “Hello?

More rustling sounded before a trembling voice answered, “Hello.”

In the background, Reed could hear a couple of women giggling, and he wondered if he had the right telephone number. “I’m looking to speak with Marley Adams. Is she around?”

“Um…er…” The woman cleared her throat. “This is her.”

“I’m Reed Matheson. I’ve seen your profile on the castle’s forum and am interested in arranging a night with you.”

He was met with silence and pulled the receiver away to look at the screen, curious if she had hung up, but the lit screen indicated she hadn’t. He returned the phone to his ear. “Are you still there?”

“Yes.”

Reed waited a good thirty seconds before he concluded something was amiss and wondered if maybe this was a joke. “I’m not in the mood to be trifled with. I’d recommend the next time you ladies want to play a game, you choose another method to do it. Good night.”

“No, don’t go.”

The desperation in her voice stopped him. Clearly something else was going on here. If this wasn’t women being drunk and playing around, what could be Marley’s hesitation? Then it dawned on him. “Is the problem because you’re not alone?”

“Yes.”

Another round of hushed giggles sounded. “Right. Then I take it you don’t want to discuss this with your friends there?”

“Exactly.” Marley sighed.

That sigh of hers sent a rush of blood straight to his cock. Her voice held a wonderful sensual tone that appealed to him and confirmed he had made the right decision to contact her.

His reaction intrigued him. When had he been so interested in a submissive? Not since his ex-girlfriend and that knowledge sent a ping of pain to his heart, which he flatly ignored.

He wanted to be the one to guide Marley. Something about her made his stomach clench, and the thought of not having her maddened him.

Now understanding that she’d paused because she craved privacy, Reed took another approach. He scrolled back up to Marley’s information, clicked on her e-mail address to open a new message, and attached his profile. “We’ll keep this short then. I’ve sent my details to the e-mail address you’ve provided on the forum. Have a look, and we’ll go from there.”

He heard shuffling again, some whispered arguing, before Marley gasped. “Oh…um…you’re…”

Reed chuckled. He didn’t mind that his looks left her speechless. Hell, hers had done the same to him. “Do you approve?”

“He’s gorgeous,” a woman said, not Marley.

The sound of a slap followed by Marley’s grumble informed him she’d just issued someone a punishment for speaking so loud. “I’m interested,” was all she said.

That was enough for him. “Read through the castle’s rules and follow them accordingly. It’ll take you around twelve days to get all the documentation you require, so let’s meet two weeks from tonight. Come to the restaurant at the Castle Dolce Vita at seven p.m. When you arrive, you will ask for and always address me as Master Reed. Understood?”

“Mm hmm.”

Her response made him tighten his jaw. “You will answer me with words, not sounds.”

“Okay…sorry. I’ll be there.”

He would rid her of that behavior. He preferred that his submissives to speak forthrightly and for their responses to be clear. “Very well. I look forward to seeing you then.”

A long pause followed before Marley whispered, “Me too.”

Reed waited for her to hang up first, and as her friends in the background laughed, he heard Marley exhale, long and deep. Nervous? Excited?

He could only be pleased he’d gotten to her first. Many Castle Dolce Vita doms would want her, but he’d snagged her. His throbbing cock reminded him he’d gotten lucky tonight.

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SOMEWHERE IN BETWEEN by Stacey Kennedy

SOMEWHERE IN BETWEEN by Stacey Kennedy

U.S. Marshal, Wyatt Tanning is in a race to catch a serial killer who has evaded the authorities. Just as the case hits a dead end, an unexpected email gives him a lead. As much as he wants to share the surprising message with his lover, Rye Daniels, he must hunt a killer first.

Darby Grant never expected that one night would change her life forever, but that's exactly what happened. Not only has she been abducted, but she is in a situation that nightmares are made of.

As she begins to lose all hope, fate steps in to offer her aid, but she’s well aware things will never be the same again. Soon, though, Darby begins to realize that might not be such a bad thing...

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~Excerpt~

U.S. Marshal Wyatt sprinted up the front porch, hearing the wood crack and groan under his weight. At the front door, he raised his foot and kicked it open with a crash. Holding his weapon at shoulder height, he placed the flashlight underneath to offer light in the dark space and entered cautiously.

“Spread out,” he ordered.

His team dispersed, each taking a room to search. Wyatt strode forward and kept his gun in his line of vision. He scoped out the living room; if he could even call it such. Old furniture situated around the room sat covered in dust—so much in fact, it itched his nose.

“Clear,” Taryn called from the kitchen.

He glanced around, looking behind the couch first then searched everyplace someone might hide. He found nothing. “Clear,” he replied. Each of the deputies issued the same response from upstairs to confirm the house lay empty.

Lowering his gun, he sighed. He’d hoped the lead Madame Eve gave would have brought them to Marcus. Apparently, she’d been wrong, and that not only confused, but irritated him. His hopes had risen only to plummet again.

He spun around to approach Taryn in the kitchen, and a light caught his eye. If he’d come in the daytime he never would’ve seen it, but being pitch black in the room, the light glowed through the dark space. A small hole, maybe the size of a pea, sat at the bottom of the far wall.

Wyatt raised his gun and approached. “I’ve got something here.” At the wall, he squatted and ran his finger over the light. He looked to Taryn when she stepped in next to him. “There’s something behind here.”

He stood, raised his leg, and after a few well-placed kicks, his foot went through the wall. He peered through the hole to see a set of stairs, and a wall lined with soundproofing. Turning his gun around, he used the butt end to bash in the wall.

The loud cracking of wood filled his ears, but the second he stopped, something else registered in the air—a loud scream for help. He jerked his head toward Taryn. “Did you hear that?”

“I heard it.” She pushed on his back. “Go.”


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TAINTED BLOOD by Stacey Kennedy

TAINTED BLOOD by Stacey Kennedy

The Dark Element Book One

Darkness is settling over San Francisco - vampires in the throes of blood lust are taking innocent lives. One witch will need to see past her fear, and trust her Guardian, before everyone is in danger, including herself...

Earth Witch, Sabi, has been gifted with the ability to see premonitions of the darkness that threatens human lives. Safe in the Otherworld, she adjusts to these new visions...which isn't going so well. Luckily, she's got the sexy Guardian, Ryker to help her work through these visions. He's intent to show her how to distance herself from them and help her gain control of life. Not that it's really helping. The visions are leaving her crippled and unable to help pinpoint the killer's locations to stop the acts from happening.

If that's not enough to deal with, she soon begins to see vampires on a killing rampage in San Francisco. Vampires are being born and left to fend for themselves, resulting in innocent lives being taken while they're in the throes of blood lust. But as Sabi's visions begin to kick up a notch, personal matters need to be put aside. And as the mystery begins to unravel, Sabi will begin to see that these visions are getting far more dangerous and that humans are not the only ones at risk - she is.

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Excerpt:

Ryker took another step toward her, but Sabi raised her hand to stop him.“Don’t give me that smoldering look. I mean it, if my dessert goes in the garbage again, there will be hell to pay.”

“I’m only interested in comforting you.”

“Sure you are.” She continued to step away from him. Her stare focused on his, and good heavens, they burned with desire. The one part of their relationship that had never been an issue was the spectacular passion between them.

“Now come on, I only want to hug you.”

She knew him all too well. “A hug will lead to nakedness, and the dessert will be forgotten.”

He continued to approach her, moved her out of the kitchen as she backed away from him while he gave her his sexy grin. “You think so little of my restraint?”

“I know you don’t have any,” she retorted, suddenly aware her legs were stopped by something. She glanced back to find he had herded her into the bedroom. “I mean it, Ryker. You’ve ruined too many of the treats I’ve made for you.”

He pinned her, leaning his body against hers, and his gaze said he enjoyed the position he put her in. “May I remind you, I’ve said to stop all this baking and let me just enjoy the taste of you.”

Classic Ryker—bold, yet somehow charming. He could say something dirty and make it sound endearing. He closed the distance between them, raised his hand and ran a finger down her cheek. “What if I touched you here, would this change your mind?”

“No,” she said, determined. Oh, she would fight him, and ignore how sexy he looked in his Guardian gear—all warrior—all man. She enjoyed baking for him, liked doing nice things for him, and he’d made it a habit to let her efforts burn to a crisp. No, she would hold her ground and refuse him. They needed to wait forty-five minutes, if that, and then they could play.

“What if I did this?”

He ran his thumb over her lips, and on instinct, her lips parted as her breath followed in a whoosh. “No, my mind would not be changed.”

He grinned, and she almost succumbed to him. The confidence oozing from him, the pure sex appeal emanating from him, plus his gorgeous face―she was screwed.

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TAKEDOWN by Stacey Kennedy

TAKEDOWN by Stacey Kennedy
A 1NightStand Story

U.S. Marshal Wyatt Tanning has been on the hunt for a killer on the run in Turks and Caicos. A week into the investigation, he has absolutely nothing to show for his efforts. Feeling defeated he returns to Castillo Resort to drown his frustrations.

There he meets UFC fighter, Rye Daniels. Now the resort’s bartender, Rye recognizes a man that has been beaten down, but he also senses a shared attraction that is hard to ignore. Wyatt might not be ready to step out from behind the shadow of lies, but Rye will stop at nothing to unleash the beast within.

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~Excerpt~

Wyatt stretched in the leather seat of his rented truck. A week of chasing Katrina Whittaker had brought nothing but dead ends. His team of U.S. Marshals were strategically positioned at different hotspots in Turks and Caicos, yet the search resulted in them running in circles. She’d proven to be smart and didn’t stay in one place long.

A murder in Houston, Texas resulted in a warrant for her arrest, and it was Wyatt’s job as Chief Deputy U.S. Marshal to bring Katrina home. Unfortunately, he couldn’t locate her. She had family in Turks and Caicos, and Wyatt’s team got word she’d fled the day her warrant had been issued. Wyatt still tried to understand how she’d made it to the Caribbean island without her passport or the ability to board an airplane, but he’d been in this game long enough to know anything was possible.

Releasing a long deep sigh, Wyatt ran his hand over his tired face. Katrina had gotten under his skin and he couldn’t wait to slap handcuffs on her. Day and night, they’d set up surveillance and staked out possible leads. The damn woman wasn’t anywhere to be found. He glanced at the clock on the dashboard. Ten o’clock. Where had the day gone? He’d sat in this seat for well over twelve hours. His ass hurt, his legs tingled with pins and needles, and he needed sleep. More than ready for this to be over, he grabbed his cell phone from the cup holder and held the button on the side to initiate a radio single. “Wyatt to Taryn.”

“Whatcha got, Chief?” Taryn Kincaid, his right hand woman, responded. Always ready and eager for the hunt ahead, he’d promoted her to Supervisory Deputy U.S. Marshal not long ago because of her exemplary work.

“Jackshit,” he grumbled. “You?”

“Nothing here either, Sir.”

Wyatt scanned the area, the luxurious condominiums located on the beachfront known to be Katrina’s grandmother’s house. Nothing stirred, except a cat or two crossing the street on a hunt for dinner.

His team, Taryn plus the four other deputies she resided over, had slept in their trucks only about ten hours the whole week and he felt the weight of it. He pushed hard in the beginning of the investigation to put heat on Katrina, leaving her nowhere to hide. The idea flopped. His team needed rest, as did he. “Go back to the hotel, check in, and we’ll gather back up at seven hundred hours and start again.”

“Ten four.”

The hum of the radio cut off to silence. Starting the engine, Wyatt shot a final look toward the condominium, nothing to indicate Katrina had been there. He put the truck in drive and drove off, spying lush greenery around him.

Turks and Caicos was a quiet island and Wyatt expected as much. Most along the stunning beachfront properties were tourists looking for some peace. He wouldn’t mind some time off himself. He loved his job, lived for the hunt, but a vacation sounded all too good. Long hours with little fun and he longed for more excitement than his present non-existent love life. So much in fact, he enlisted the services of 1NightStand, a match-making service out of Las Vegas, a few months back. He hoped Madame Eve would find a woman to fulfill his dreams since he’d yet to find one the traditional way.

Turning onto Grace Bay, Wyatt entered the main district of the island. Only a few minutes down the road, Castillo Hotels and Resorts appeared and he sighed in relief. The resort, like nothing he’d ever seen before with its Greek architecture, white textured walls and large pillars out the front. Spotlights beamed up from the ground to bask the building in a warm glow. Palm trees decorated the landscape, among many other tropical plants Wyatt couldn’t identify.

At the main entrance, he stopped and put the truck in park as the valet attendant approached. Stepping out, Wyatt handed the keys to the attendant and in turn took a numbered ticket. “Let me grab my stuff before you head off.” Turning on his heel, he strode toward the cab of the truck and grabbed his duffel bag.

He placed it on the ground to reach into his pocket, took out some cash and handed it to the attendant, who smiled in thanks before jumping into the driver’s seat. As the truck pulled away, Wyatt made his way toward the resort, marveling at the structure. When he entered, the size of the building left him in awe. High ceilings, marble floors—owner Jackson Castillo hadn’t held back when he built the resort. Once at the counter, Wyatt dropped his duffel bag and reached back to grab his wallet from his pocket to show his identification.

“Welcome to the Castillo Resort,” the greeter said, happy as a clam. Her big brown eyes twinkled. Wyatt understood why she’d been chosen for the job. Her kind face made him feel welcome.

He read her name tag, Susanne, before glancing back up to her face. “Wyatt Tanning, checking in.”

Susanne examined his ID for a moment before she glanced away and typed on her computer. “Ah, Mr. Castillo has given you the presidential suite for your stay.”

Nice of him, but not needed. “That isn’t necessary, any room will suffice.”

“No, no,” Susanne retorted. “Mr. Castillo’s orders, I’m not given the liberty to disobey them.” She handed him a key card. “We hope you have a wonderful stay here, Mr. Tanning. If you need anything at all, just pick up your phone and it will direct you to the front desk.”

Wyatt took the card, placed it in his wallet and returned it to his back pocket. “As long as I have a bed, I’ll be happy.” He said it more to himself than to Susanne, and she didn’t bother with his remark, instead moving on to the couple who approached the desk.

Newlyweds. The assumption not hard to come by, the pair couldn’t keep their hands off each other, plus the gleaming new rings on their fingers were a dead giveaway. Wyatt wondered what such intense love would feel like, never having it, he had nothing to compare it to. He sighed away his pity and considered going up to his room to crash, but decided to get a drink first to wash away the frustrations of the hunt that went nowhere.

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A WARRIOR'S WITCH by Stacey Kennedy

A WARRIOR'S WITCH by Stacey Kennedy
An Otherworld Novel

Decades old guilt collide with a murder, igniting a battle in a warrior's soul to choose between love and duty...

Murder has brought Talon, Master of Guardians, as well as Zia, his witch and Master of Witches, to Chicago. The manner of death appears to be a suicide, but Talon is far from ready to close the case. To avenge the Guardian linked to his past, he agrees to take on the assignment, and find her killer.

As they dive deeper into the investigation, they find themselves entering a world where BDSM is the norm. A lifestyle that Zia is uncomfortable with and, rattled by this new development, she is more than ready to return to the Otherworld. But their investigation quickly takes an unexpected twist when they discover that they're not only hunting a killer but also someone who is controlling supernaturals in Chicago.

Their mission not only brings danger, but also forces Talon to deal with decades old guilt that corrodes his soul. Every event that unfolds only deepens his fight and pushes him to face an ultimate choice - what is more important - his duty to the Otherworld or the witch he holds closest to his heart?

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Excerpt:

Duty. Honor. Morals.

All these things abandoned Talon’s mind as he stood over the dead body on the ground. The woman’s light brown hair draped over her face, but not enough to conceal her identity. She was no stranger to him. Her face held a bluish tinge, the rosy color he remembered she once had on her cheeks now gone. Whitlyn, his son’s mother.

Talon bent down and brushed the hair away from the Guardian’s face and his heart clenched. An arrangement between him and Whitlyn had been forged years ago, and he never expected when he saw her again it would be to find her dead. At the time she lived in the Otherworld, she’d proven herself to be one of the greatest female warriors. But the battles wore on Whitlyn. She wanted a life without death and violence. Knowing the stakes it cost the Otherworld to have her gone, she offered a solution, presented herself to bear Talon’s child.

Now, the woman who gave him such a gift had lost her life.

“Oh, Talon.” Zia’s voice came compassionate above him. She rested her hand on his shoulder in a loving embrace. “I’m sorry.”

Talon couldn’t find the strength to look at his witch. Yes, she belonged to him now and hadn’t condemned his heart with guilt when he made the agreement with Whitlyn, yet he drowned in sorrow over the reality. He hadn’t once regretted his choice. Not only had Kyden proved to be an impeccable Guardian, but a wonderful son. However, seeing Whitlyn in this condition tore at his heart.

“It’s not me to be sorry for.” He’d always suspected Whitlyn’s actions came from the duty she felt she owed to the Otherworld, but he also believed the solution a viable one. It gave back to their forces, while it allowed Whitlyn to live in peace in the Earthworld among the humans and leave her position as part of the Council’s guard. Talon never understood her desires. His duty as Master of Guardians, part of the Council, was now and would always be to the Otherworld. To protect the Earthworld from supernatural beings who wished to cause them harm. His thoughts weren’t of humans at the moment, didn’t stray on his responsibilities as a leader to the Otherworld. His only concern remained on Whitlyn.

Sighing, he glanced at Zade, the Master of Vampires, who stood off to the side of the modest home located in the Near South Side of Chicago. “What happened to her?”

Zade shook his head, sending his coal hair to drape across his forehead, his dark eyes perplexed. “Right now, I know about as much as you do. I sent Finn to this assignment after the Chicago PD contacted us.” Supes were well established in the Earthworld law enforcement for just this reason. It gave them an in on supernatural murders. “When Finn discovered it wasn’t a mortal who died, but a Guardian, he came back to inform us. He found me instead. Thinking I could handle the matter myself, I came here and recognized her immediately.” He glanced down to Whitlyn. Sadness resided on his expression. “You must understand my reasons for coming to find you.” His gaze came back up to meet Talon’s. “Do you want me to go and get Kyden?”

Talon pondered. Zia and Talon had been resting when Zade had come to their residence. Being odd that Zade asked them to assist on an assignment instead of letting one of the guard deal with the matter as they usually did, Talon knew something had gone terribly wrong. It wasn’t often the Masters needed to intervene. Their guard held strong, protected the Earthworld on most cases without their assistance in person.

It was true his son Kyden was part of their guard—both him and his mate, Nexi, were elite warriors within the Otherworld, but Talon hesitated involving him in this. The secret of his birth hadn’t been kept a secret from Kyden, but he never discussed it with anyone. Talon doubted even Nexi knew of his mother. He always equated it to the fact that she didn’t exist in Kyden’s eyes—to disown one’s duty to the Otherworld was the gravest of all betrayals. Talon never harbored ill feelings toward Whitlyn for her choices. The battles could be trying at times, and she sought refuge from all the death—he’d never judge her for those wishes.

Talon’s pause was more centered on the uncertainty about how Kyden would respond to the sight of his dead mother. So many unresolved emotions surrounded Whitlyn. Too many in Talon’s own soul to even make sense of now. Determined he only had one choice, he shook his head. “No, leave him out of it.”

“Talon,” Zia exclaimed.

Her curt tone forced his gaze to hers and he encountered an unhappy expression on his witch’s face. Even with her grimace, though, she still exuded beauty. Long strawberry blonde hair flowed around her flawless skin and her stunning blue eyes that he’d never grow tired of admiring. Yet, he had a point to make and he would make it clear. “All Kyden knows of his mother is that she wanted a life away from danger and those are the reasons she gave birth to him and left, never to return. Kyden and Nexi were bonded mere weeks ago. I won’t ruin their joy with this news. Besides, they’re away on their travels enjoying some peace they both deserve.”

Exactly why Whitlyn wanted out. Danger never stopped, and his son had had his share of it lately. Nexi, being a mixed being of Guardian, Witch, and Fae—her magic had blossomed, making her stronger than any supernatural being known in the Otherworld. With those gifts came a world of trying times. His son choosing her as his love brought evil to take center stage in their lives. Luckily, his son lived through the dangerous events, as did Nexi. Peace wasn’t given to them; they earned it, and Talon didn’t want to bring strain to their lives. He didn’t have the heart to darken his son’s happy moment. “We’ll handle the assignment, find out what happened to Whitlyn, and I’ll tell him when they return.” After Talon sorted out how he felt on the matter and had all the answers to explain it all to his son.

“You will tell him though, yes?” Zia probed.

“I will, but I don’t want him to see her like this.” Talon’s heart ached, for Whitlyn and Kyden. He sympathized with why Whitlyn had left the Otherworld. He’d seen it before in Guardians and supernaturals who chose to work for the Council. The hard times wore on them. Yet, he’d never felt as she did. He belonged in his role.

Even though he had no relationship with Whitlyn and there had never been love between them when they spent a month together producing Kyden, he respected her. The time they’d shared was a wonderful memory. He hated to see her life stolen from her. It left an empty gap in his heart and he wondered how in the world he would tell Kyden his mother had died.

“The vamp who met Finn here had no knowledge of what had taken place,” Zade said, “and if he would have told us sooner that it was Whitlyn who lost her life, I would have acted faster.”

Time was always a key factor. The longer it took them to locate the killer, the more distance he or she could put between them. But Talon didn’t worry about that so much. His only focus right now centered on what took place here. “Zia, do your magic and show us what happened here.”

“Of course.” Zia raised her hands, and the wind picked up in the room as her magic called to replay the moment Whitlyn’s life ended. Her talents, gifted from being a Spirit Witch and Master of Witches, gave her enough power in that beautiful body of hers to astound Talon more than once.

Within only moments of the first call on her magic, the scene shimmered into view. Talon placed his hands firmly on the floor to steady himself. Whitlyn stood before him, pale; her eyes shone with terror as her body trembled in fear. However, nothing stood there to give reason for her fright; no one around her caused her panic. Talon scanned the simple living room a few times over, yet still nothing. No murderer.

A gasp brought Talon’s focus back to Whitlyn. She now rested on her knees close to him. Her breath strained as her chest rose and fell in heavy movements. Confusion stole his thoughts. “Am I missing something?” His attention remained on the dying Whitlyn.

“No. Why is she dying?” Zia gasped.

Whitlyn fell down on her side, her breathing rapid and forced. As much as Talon wished he could intervene, he held no power to do so. The vision was a moment from the past. Whitlyn had already died.

Within a few short minutes, the vision settled on the same one Talon came upon when he entered the small, humble home. Whitlyn lying dead. He tried to make sense out of what he saw, but couldn’t. Nothing appeared to have killed her. She hadn’t appeared to be stabbed nor had any visible wounds, although he suspected someone had caused her death. Not an empty room. Feeling beside himself, he glanced at Zia. “Did you make sense of any of that?”

“Not at all.” Zia shook her head, her eyes wide, baffled. “Do you think she did this to herself?”

The thought, too horrible to even imagine, was one Talon didn’t think possible. Whitlyn had always been a strong warrior. Her actions proved she wasn’t selfish. When she left the Otherworld, she could have just walked out, but she provided her body, her impeccable genes from a long line of warriors, to give back to her world. Whitlyn had never been a woman who acted with such selfishness. “I cannot fathom it. She doesn’t seem the type.”

“But you haven’t seen her in well over twenty-nine years,” Zade countered.

How time flew. It felt like only yesterday when Whitlyn gave birth to Kyden, kissed him goodbye, and left. In just a year, he’d reach his immortality and no longer age. It might have made Talon sentimental if the current situation didn’t take precedence. “That’s true. It has been many years since I’ve seen her last. It’s quite possible she could have become another woman.” Talon hummed. “Still, to take her own life? Why would Whitlyn choose such a fate for herself?” He placed his hand on Whitlyn’s forehead and her cold skin chilled his palm. His heart bled for her. “If you have done this to yourself, I’m sorry you didn’t trust in us to come home and get you the help you needed. If someone has hurt you, it’s my promise to you that I’ll find out who and deliver their punishment on your behalf.”

Silence filled the room and Talon appreciated it. His mind ran rapid with thoughts of whats and whys. Finally, after a long moment, Zade cleared his throat, bringing Talon’s attention to him. “I note a strange scent around her, but I cannot place it.”

As Guardian, Talon didn’t have the enhanced scent capabilities Zade possessed as a vampire; only impeccable warrior skills had been granted to him. He couldn’t smell anything unusual here. Inhaling deeply for good measure, he sighed, unable to catch a trace of it. “I’d suspect whatever you are scenting is what caused her death.”

“A very strange occurrence,” Zia offered.

Talon agreed. Clearly whatever Whitlyn had either taken—or been given—claimed her life. However, the question remained, what was it? Never in all his years had he ever seen a death in this manner. The fact this was so personal made urgency flare to life, but brought something else with it too.

After a little squeeze of his hand on Whitlyn’s frigid flesh, he closed his eyes and felt an entire world of guilt rest upon his shoulders. He’d find out what happened because he owed Whitlyn that and so much more. She’d given his life meaning in giving him a son. Gave him something he never thought he’d have as a Master. An oath he’d taken long ago to always put the Otherworld first. A personal life wasn’t in the hopes and dreams of a Master. Their role, their nightly-life centered on keeping the Earthworld protected.

Zia was his heart, no doubt about it. What they were now, merely lovers, is what they’d always be. Being bound as his son was to Nexi would never been in his future with Zia. He’d long ago accepted that fate. And now, to the mother of his son, he made a silent promise of justice for all she’d given him.

Talon whispered his final goodbyes to Whitlyn, stood, and looked at Zia. “Let’s take her to someone who might be able to identify this unknown killer.” He reached down and gathered the lifeless Whitlyn in his arms. Talon might have only given her a passing thought over the years, but he mourned her death now.


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