Paranormal Novels

Rejected By My Mate "I, Alpha Azrael Shepherd, reject you, Alexandria Gregory as my mate," he said coldly then turned his back towards the packhouse. ****** When Alexandria Gregory turned 18, she met her mate and that is Azrael Shepherd, the Alpha of her rival pack. But Azrael rejected her when he found out she was an omega of her pack. The rejection she felt was excruciating. Once her mate rejected her, she would never find another mate again. The reason why Azrael rejected her is because the man will be married to Liza, the Alpha's daughter of her pack. Even though they aren't mates, they decided to stay together for the union of the two packs. No one knew her mate was Azrael. Rage fills her heart and she will make sure Azrael would regret ever rejecting her. She ran away from her pack and promised to herself that she would come back and take her place as the real Alpha. *************** [Alexandria’s POV] Tomorrow, I’ll turn eighteen, and I have a feeling something big is going to happen. I sighed as I scrubbed the floor, and beads of sweat dripped from my face. I can hear the laughter coming from the dining area where my pack dined together except me. Because I am an omega, the most unfortunate and weakest of the pack. They thought I was an omega because I didn't show any qualities of a werewolf. Unbeknownst to everyone, I can shift ever since I was little, but I am different from everyone else because werewolves can only shift at age eighteen, so I hid my wolf. My parents taught me how to hide my wolf form and powerful aura when I was little before they passed away. My parents died when I was six years old. Then someone took over the pack when my Alpha father died. The new Alpha threw me into the barn and I lived as an omega. However, being an omega was tough because my job was to obey everyone’s commands. Since then, I trained myself every night on the far side of the woods, where no one would notice my presence. But tomorrow, I will find my mate so that I can get out of this hellhole. And I can’t wait for that! I was also bullied because of the color of my eyes. It has two distinct colors—on my left eye; it is blue with golden flecks, while my right eye is green with golden flecks too. This made me different from all the werewolves. I didn’t even know why I have this eye color. But I think it’s pretty, just like my wolf. ‘That’s right!’ My wolf, Xandra, chimed in and I giggled. When I finished scrubbing the floor, I went to the back of the packhouse where my house was—the barn. For years, I was sleeping here together with some cattle and my only best friend Layla. I took out some clean clothes in the old broken cabinet and then ran off towards the lake to take a night bath. I scan the place to make sure no one would see me, then I put my clean clothes on the rock. When I’m a hundred percent sure no one was around, I took off my dirty clothes and swam towards the cold water. I feel refreshed. After three minutes, a familiar scent

"Dad I've told you a hundred times, I don't need a body guard." I growled, my eyes locked on the god-like man at his side.Arabella Adair, the only heir of the Alpha King, detests her strikingly handsome yet silent body guard. A mask shields half of his face, leaving only his intoxicating eyes and tousled hair revealed. The strange gloves he constantly wears, and the refusal to speak continues to drive Arabella mad. In the midst of the chaos in her Kingdom, she sets her attention on her body guard. Her insane attraction to her mysterious body guard fuels her need for the truth. More determined than ever, she plans to use everything at her disposal to uncover his secrets. *************** "Dad, I've told you a hundred times. I don't need a bodyguard." I groaned, flopping down on my bed. My dad was quiet for a while, but I could still sense his presence in my room. "You know he's only trying to keep you safe." My wolf, Aela, scolded me. "Arabella." My dad's stern voice called out and I reluctantly sat up and met his silver eyes. I could feel the power of the Alpha King fill my bedroom and I resisted the urge to shudder. Aela grumbled, "We'll you've done it now." His Alpha power didn't affect me quite the same, being his daughter had some perks. Nonetheless, I resisted the urge to cringe under his intense gaze. I sighed, knowing this conversation was going nowhere. "Yes dad?" "You will behave and let your bodyguard protect you." His commanding voice filled my ears and I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. All of the training I had endured wouldn't change his mind. He insisted I was no match for his enemies, not without becoming Queen. He refused to relinquish his title while I was mate-less and had more motivation than ever to assign me an unwanted bodyguard. "Fine." I snapped, "But you know I'll never behave." I crossed my arms and looked out of my bedroom window, letting my eyes roam the massive garden out back. My dad gave me a sympathetic smile and sat on the bed, "Arabella, you know this is the last thing I want. We have enemies everywhere. I have to make sure you're safe." I huffed and kept my gaze trained on the gardens. There was no way I planned on playing nice, not while what little freedom I had was being taken away. "I can't lose you too Bella." I could hear my dad's empty voice and my heart squeezed. My green eyes met his own as I looked at how broken-hearted he truly was. I had lost my mother only a year ago, and my father had lost his mate. My dad had an image that he put on for the world to see. A firm and borderline cruel Alpha King who would keep his people safe. Only I and my mother were allowed to see this side of him, the side with feelings. Unable to hold onto my anger, I frowned at him. "When will he be here?" I rolled my eyes when my dad's face broke out into a relieved grin, and I couldn't hold back the small smile that played on my lips. "Tomorrow morning." My dad nodded, giving his phone a quick glance. He hardly had any ti

The dragons unidentified Mate Dragons are the most ancient and powerful clans, which rule the world with an iron fist. Every other living beings are considered beneath them. Humans are considered the lowest of the low and are mostly invisible to the other clans.Nyra is a human with a past. Drake is the most powerful Dragon in history. He can make or break anything with just a flick of his eyes. Dragons have a rule. The person to whom they lose their virginity will be their other half and mate until death.Drake sleeps with Nyra on a passionate night under the effects of a drug. Nyra slips away before being noticed by anyone.But a tattoo forms on her lower back, as a symbol showing that she is a dragon's mate, which she is determined to hide.Drake is determined to find his unidentified mate. Who will succeed in their quest? Will Drake be able to accept Nyra as his mate, after finding out that she is a human?Can Nyra escape, when her past comes after her?Will Drake be able to save his mate? *************** "What are you doing Caroline?" Carlos asks his sister. Caroline smirks and continues mixing some powder into one of the glasses of whiskey. "Caroline" Carlos snaps at his twin sister impatiently. "Relax brother. It's just a drug to make my position as Drake Hamilton's mate" Caroline signals for a waiter. As soon the human waiter arrives, she looks straight into his eyes and hypnotizes him to do as she said and forget everything soon after. "Give this whiskey only to Drake Hamilton," Caroline commands the waiter, who is under her control. Carlos panics at what his sister is about to do. "Drake will kill you if he finds out" Carlos warns his sister. "Relax brother, 'if he finds out'. Which he never will" Caroline says smugly. Carlos and Caroline are the step-siblings of Drake Hamilton. Their mother and Drake's father Roland Hamilton married each other a few decades ago, when Roland's mate died. "What is that you mixed in his drink?" Carlos asks his sister, fear evident in his voice. "A drug which will boost his sexual desire. Only sleeping with a female will satisfy him and nothing else will" Caroline said with excitement. "You mean, you want to sleep with him and become his mate?" Carlos gaped at his sister with shock. "Yes, like mom did, I will become the most envied woman in the world and the most powerful. Moreover, I am obsessed with Drake. Only he didn't reciprocate my feelings" Caroline said with a cunning smirk. "I am scared sister" Carlos gulped with fear. "Don't worry, after tonight, I will be his mate and you too will hold power over the dragon clan" Caroline assured her brother. Drake is a very cruel and the most powerful Dragon. Very few saw him in person and only a couple of them saw his Dragon form. He is cold and ruthless. The Hamilton's are the most powerful and rich Dragon clan in the world. They can make or break any government with just a look. Drake Hamilton is the CEO of the Hamilton group, which is a leading company worldwid

Illusions of Fate Read Free I did my best to keep you from crossing paths with this world. And I shall do my best to protect you now that you have.Jessamin has been an outcast since she moved from her island home of Melei to the dreary country of Albion. Everything changes when she meets Finn, a gorgeous, enigmatic young lord who introduces her to the secret world of Albion’s nobility, a world that has everything Jessamin doesn’t—power, money, status…and magic. But Finn has secrets of his own, dangerous secrets that the vicious Lord Downpike will do anything to possess. Unless Jessamin, armed only with her wits and her determination, can stop him. *************** One Dear Mama, I am most certainly not dead. Thank you for your tender concern. I will try to write more often so you don’t have to worry so between letters. (Because a week’s silence surely means I have fallen prey to a wasting illness or been murdered in these boring, gray streets.) School is going well. I am excelling in all of my classes. (Apparently, some things never change, and girls are not challenged in Albion in the same way they weren’t on Melei.) My professors are all intelligent and kind. (Kind of horrible.) None stand out. (I refuse to mention him by name, no matter how many obviously “subtle” questions you ask.) The other students are also quite focused on their schooling, and none of us has much time for socializing. Boys and girls attend separate classes as well, so no, I have not met many interesting young men. (I am neither courting nor being courted. Please stop hoping.) Tell Aunt Li’ne thank you for the mittens. They are very much appreciated in this cold, damp climate I am so unused to. And please tell the sun hello and I miss her very much! I also miss you, of course. (I do. Very much.) All my love, Jessamin Reading over the letter to my mother, I am so absorbed in my head with adding the true statements to my written words that I fail to pay attention to the street. I cannot decide which shocks me more—nearly being run over by the horse-drawn cart, or the fluid stream of cursing in my native tongue that is being directed at me. I look up, cheeks burning, and meet a pair of black eyes that, combined with the familiarity of the language, hit me with a longing for Melei so deep and painful I can scarcely draw a breath. The man pauses, obviously surprised to see how dark of skin and eyes I am in spite of my school uniform. And so I take the opportunity to insult his manhood, his lineage, and his horse in a single, well-crafted turn of phrase I haven’t used since my friend Kelen taught it to me when I was fourteen. He smiles. I smile back. Brushing his hand through the air in another gesture so achingly familiar it brings tears to my eyes, he clicks his tongue and the cart moves on, our near-collision forgotten. He’s made me crave heat. The sun’s anemic rays pull more warmth from me than they offer. I hate Albion, the whole gray country. I hate Avebury, a city just as

Sunglasses at Night (Claws Clause 3) Read Free *************** Prologue We are tasked with the hunt, for none but the slayer is trained to eliminate the evil that stalks through the night—and eliminate we must. We are tasked with secrecy, for the power of the slayer comes from its anonymity. We are tasked with loyalty, for to be a slayer is to belong to a sect that protects and shields itself over all others. We are tasked with brotherhood, for while the slayer hunts alone, we know that we are not alone. We are tasked with truth, for a slayer hunts honestly and with integrity. — The Slayer’s Code, established 1897 * Added to the copy hanging in Boone Matthews’s office by Tabby Winslow, age 16. 1 The bastard was quick. Good thing Adam Wright was just a little bit quicker. Glancing down at the blade by his side, summer wind ruffling his blond hair, cheeks rippling from his speed, he tore down the backstreets of Grayson, hot on the heels of his murderous quarry. Ever since he started that evening’s hunt, he kept his weapon engaged. Instead of the six-inch-long silver dagger it usually appeared as, once he triggered the magic, it turned into a pointed sword close to a foot-and-a-half in length. Gripping it tightly in both hands, he kept it angled it so that he wouldn’t accidentally stab any stray civilians as he ran while, at the same time, he could easily see if the color changed. A scarlet glow edged around the honed blade, fading by the time it reached the ornately carved hilt. Scarlet. Red. Nightwalker. Not just any Nightwalker, though. As one of the human-turned-vampires, if Adam pointed the sword at himself, the scarlet glow would swiftly turn to silver. Like his newly changed eyes, silver represented a Nightwalker’s magic. Blue meant human. Gold belonged to the shifters. White was more unusual since there weren’t too many Othersiders in the area. Plenty of purple for witches. But red? Red told him that he was dealing with a vampire in the throes of bloodlust. And his enchanted weapon was never wrong. It still amazed him that he lucked on the knife. The night he was turned, the night the former Nightwalker king force-fed him his blood before initiating the change, Julian Koenig drew the weapon against a shifter threat. By the time Colton Wolfe ripped off Julian’s head for daring to try and claim Colt’s mate for his own, Adam had been left for dead. He survived—though he was still bitter at that fact—and the first thing he did when he got out of Grayson General was sneak down to evidence and steal the dagger from the box storing it. Because his attack was considered more of a paranormal issue, his squad had shunted it to the side. They didn’t need the evidence.

Tegan's Magic (Blood Magic 3) Read Free Something is rotten in Tribane city. The humans are descending into madness and Tegan is certain that Theodore has something to do with it.The sorcerer and his followers have sent her father to hell and she's determined to bring him back. She's not going to lie down and play dead this time, now she has magic on her side.And then there's the alliance she and her friends have made with Ethan and his group of exiled vampires – vampires who were exiled because of something she did. She's not having the best time living under their quiet condemnation, especially Ethan's new-found hostility. With all that going on, Tegan doesn't feel like her love life should be taking centre stage, yet she's finding that her friendship with Finn is evolving into something she never expected. The question is, should she explore the possibility of Finn or wait for Ethan to finally forgive her?Both Whitfield and Pamphrock are regrouping, but which side is going to make the first move? There will be magic.There will be fighting.Blood will be spilled.Someone will emerge as the new ruler of Tribane and the only thing that's certain is the city will never be the same again.**Please Note: This book contains some strong language and scenes of a sexual nature.** *************** Chapter One There’s Nothing Kind About Man The fighting seems to spring out of nowhere. One minute I’m walking down the street minding my own business, and the next I’m standing in the middle of a riot. I’m turning the corner onto Campion Row, one of the main shopping avenues in Tribane, when my eye latches onto a fist making contact with somebody’s face. Then, when I have the chance to scan the area, I notice that there are hundreds of people fighting one another. Just going at it like they’ve all suddenly taken crazy pills or something. A thin, mousy looking woman who seems like she wouldn’t normally harm a fly is pulling down hard on the hair of a blond woman and spouting angry profanities right into her face. Spittle flies from her contorted mouth. What are they fighting for? Was there some sort of protest supposed to be happening today that’s gotten out of hand? I take a step backward almost instinctively, because my gut is telling me it’s a bad idea to venture any further. I turn around to go back the way that I came, but find that the riot has rapidly spread and now there’s no way out. Only a moment ago shoppers were wandering calmly about the street behind me and now they’re basically kicking the living shit out of each other. Nerves build up inside of me as I try to figure out if perhaps I’m dreaming. A group of teenagers band together, throwing bricks and smashing the large glass windows at the front of an electronics store. Okay, I can’t even begin to fathom where they might have gotten the bricks from. It’s not like people generally carry them about on their person. Several employees come rushing out to try and stop them, which only functions to create

Dark Reunion (The Vampire Diaries 4) Read Free LOVE CAN KILLElena: transformed, the golden girl has become what she once feared and desired.Stefan: tormented by losing Elena, he's determined to end his feud with Damon once and for all - whatever the cost. But slowly he begins to realize that his brother is not his only enemy.Damon: at last, he possesses Elena. But will his thirst for revenge against Stefan poison his triumph? Or can they come together to face one final battle?Collected here in one edition are the third and fourth volumes of The Vampire Diaries, a riveting conclusion to the tale of two vampire brothers and the beautiful girl torn between them. *************** Chapter One "Things can be just like they were before," said Caroline warmly, reaching out to squeeze Bonnie's hand. But it wasn't true. Nothing could ever be the way it had been before Elena died. Nothing. And Bonnie had serious misgivings about this party Caroline was trying to set up. A vague nagging in the pit of her stomach told her that for some reason it was a very, very bad idea. "Meredith's birthday is already over," she pointed out. "It was last Saturday." "But she didn't have a party, not a real party like this one. We've got all night; my parents won't be back until Sunday morning. Come on, Bonnie-just think how surprised she'll be." Oh, she'll be surprised, all right, thought Bonnie. So surprised she just might kill me afterward. "Look, Caroline, the reason Meredith didn't have a big party is that she still doesn't feel much like celebrating. It seems-disrespectful, somehow-" "But that's wrong. Elena would want us to have a good time, you know she would. She loved parties. And she'd hate to see us sitting around and crying over her six months after she's gone." Caroline leaned forward, her normally feline green eyes earnest and compelling. There was no artifice in them now, none of Caroline's usual nasty manipulation. Bonnie could tell she really meant it. "I want us to be friends again the way we used to be," Caroline said. "We always used to celebrate our birthdays together, just the four of us, remember? And remember how the guys would always try to crash our parties? I wonder if they'll try this year." Bonnie felt control of the situation slipping away from her. This is a bad idea, this is a very bad idea, she thought. But Caroline was going on, looking dreamy and almost romantic as she talked about the good old days. Bonnie didn't have the heart to tell her that the good old days were as dead as disco. "But there aren't even four of us anymore. Three doesn't make much of a party," she protested feebly when she could get a word in. "I'm going to invite Sue Carson, too. Meredith gets along with her, doesn't she?" Bonnie had to admit Meredith did; everyone got along with Sue. But even so, Caroline had to understand that things couldn't be the way they had been before. You couldn't just substitute Sue Carson for Elena and say, There, everything is fixed now. Bu

Edge of Dawn (Midnight Breed 11) Read Free In this pulse-pounding and thrillingly sensual novel, New York Times bestselling author Lara Adrian returns to the mesmerizing world of the Midnight Breed, following new characters into a dark future where an uneasy peace can unravel into war—and a great betrayal can mask an all-consuming love.   Twenty years after the terror of First Dawn—when mankind learned that vampires lived secretly among them—the threat of violence reigns as the two species struggle to coexist. The only group preserving the fragile harmony is the Order, an elite cadre of Breed warriors dedicated to protecting humans and vampires alike. And in this precarious world of torn loyalties and shattered trust, Mira, a fiery squad captain, finds that every fight bears an intensely personal cost.   Raised among the Order, Mira has always believed in the warrior’s code of swift—and even lethal—justice. But the one thing she desires more than the Order’s hard-won acceptance is Kellan Archer, a sexy but troubled Breed fighter. In love with him since childhood, Mira once broke through his tough exterior during an unexpected night of rapture, but the next day he mysteriously disappeared, never to return.   Kellan didn’t think he would ever see Mira again—or have to confront the truth of why he left. After abandoning the Order years ago, he now leads a band of human rebels intent on carrying out their own vigilante rule of law. Yet a high-profile kidnapping assignment brings him face-to-face with the past he sought to avoid, and the striking woman he has tried desperately to forget. And as tensions mount and the risk of bloodshed grows, Kellan and Mira must take sides—between the competing missions that dominate their lives, and the electrifying passion that claims their hearts. *************** Chapter One HUMANS. The night was thick with them. They choked the dark sidewalks and intersections of Boston's old North End, overflowed from the open doorways of dance clubs, sim-lounges, and cocktail bars. Strolling, loitering, conversing, they filled the near-midnight streets with too many voices, too many bodies shuffling and sweating in the unseasonable heat of the early June evening. And damned too little space to avoid the anxious sidelong looks - those countless quick, darting glances from people pretending they hadn't noticed, and weren't the least bit terrified, of the four members of the Order who now strode through the middle of the city's former restricted sector. Mira, the lone female of the squad of off-duty warriors, scanned the crowd of Homo sapiens civilians with a hard eye. Too bad she and her companions were wearing street clothes and discreetly concealed weapons. She'd have preferred combat gear and an arsenal of heavy firearms. Give the good citizens of Boston a real excuse to stare in mortal terror. "Twenty years we've been outed to mankind, and most of them still gape at us like we've come to collect their carotids," said one of t

Marked by Midnight (Midnight Breed 11.5) Read Free MARKED BY MIDNIGHT (A Midnight Breed Novella) Midnight Breed Series: Book 11.5 Determined to solve a string of brutal slayings in London, vampire warrior Mathias Rowan is forced to seek the help of Nova, a fiery tattoo artist who ignites an unexpected, yet undeniable, passion in the grim Order enforcer. Nova’s shadowy connections and dark talents may be Mathias’s best hope of unmasking a treacherous enemy . . . but falling for a woman with her dangerous past will risk both their hearts and their lives. *************** CHAPTER 1 The night sky over London hung thick and ominous, heavy with black clouds still lingering from the evening’s torrential rainstorm. The downpour had lasted for hours, driving most of the city’s residents inside for shelter. It was an advantage that Mathias Rowan and the three other Order warriors accompanying him on patrol tonight had made full use of, knowing the vampire lair they’d located in Southwark the week before was all but certain to be occupied amid the storm. While Mathias never found it an easy thing to kill his own kind, the nest of blood-addicted Rogues squatting in the derelict brick building had to be terminated. The collection of human bones tossed in a pile in the back room of the foul-smelling lair had been more than ample justification for the Rogues’ executions. Rory Callahan, the warrior behind the passenger seat Mathias occupied in the Order’s black Range Rover, let out a howl. “Damn, those were some sick, Bloodlusting fucks.” Still green and mostly stupid about life, Callahan leaned forward, grinning, the tips of his fangs still visible behind his lip, evidence of the battle rage that had gripped them all during the raid. The youngest of the squad, he hadn’t seen enough death or violence yet to understand how closely every Breed male tread to the madness they’d encountered tonight. From beside Callahan in the backseat, Deacon, the third member of the team exhaled a low, solemn curse. “They’d been killing for a while. Good thing we ashed them before they got tired of draining homeless people and moved uptown where folks were apt to notice the thinning of their herd.” Mathias grunted in grim agreement. Only Liam Thane, the Breed warrior behind the wheel of the speeding vehicle, hadn’t said a word since they’d done their business and left the lair. Mathias had known the male for more than two decades--back when they’d both been part of a different, and since dissolved, policing organization for the Breed. Mathias had served as director in Boston then, and Thane had worked mostly covert ops around Europe and the United Kingdom. While no one would ever call the hulking, black-haired vampire jovial, tonight Thane seemed more pensive than usual. Mathias glanced at him from the passenger seat. Thane’s long hair was gathered in a tail at his nape, accentuating the severe cut of his cheekbones and stern jaw. He stared straight ahead, unblinking, focused on the

Veiled (Ada Palomino 1) Read Free *************** CHAPTER ONE I wake up with a gasp that freezes in my lungs. My body is strained, nearly paralyzed, a stark contrast to my heart which races erratically inside my chest, as if looking for a way out. It was the noise that woke me. That same noise, night after night. One knock. Two knocks. Three knocks. Like someone’s at my door, even though they never are. I wait, trying to suck the air deep into my lungs, realizing I couldn’t move even if I tried. There’s nothing else to do but wait and hope my heart calms down and I don’t die from a fucking heart attack. It’s in your head, I tell myself. You know this. You looked it up. But after growing up with a sister like Perry Palomino, it’s hard to know what’s in your head and what’s real. I much prefer it when my mind plays tricks on me. Even so, I lie there in the dark, listening to every sound in my room. Outside a cricket chirps once, twice. A light breeze rustles the trees and I feel the air as it comes through the open window and washes over my body, my limbs that are outside the sheets. It’s been stinking hot in Portland this summer and this breeze is nearly cold. It would be refreshing if I wasn’t so rattled.

Wicked Ones novel online reading Wickeds have grown to a whopping 3% of the entire U.S. population. No one knows where they originated, or how they came to be. Some contest that they were ever human at all, but 'Demon spawn', or 'sons of Satan'. Sometimes they're just simple college students, making their way in the bustling city of Seattle. It's been three years since Kailan Tsai and Vincent O'Connor have seen each other's faces. After their dramatic pasts, they were separated by fate itself, only to be reunited once again--and under the same roof, at that. Rekindling their friendship would be an easy task at hand, but deep emotions lie beneath calm waters. Can they survive in a world set on destroying them, or will they bite back? In a world of wickeds, nothing is absolute. *************** "This night would mark the start of our calling. They would hear our voices in the echo of gunshots, see our faces in the smoldering flames, feel the tremors of our footsteps stalking behind every startled heartbeat. The world would know us like they never have; we are more than just monsters. "This is where our destiny begins." The words rang in his ears, hardened his bones. He lifted his head to the copper skies, the taste of dirt and ash on his tongue. Perhaps for the others, this was where their destiny began. As for his own, it all started with a game. * "One." "Two." "Three." With a speedy hand, Vincent brought a card up from the deck and slapped it against his forehead. He struggled to hold his grin as he watched his opponent do the same. He couldn't see his own number, but across the table, an Eight of Hearts pressed between Kailan's eyes. The small group that had gathered around them erupted in hoots and guffaws at the draw. Their reaction made Vincent crumble into a tipsy laugh, lowering the card in his palm. Eight of Spades; they'd matched again. "This isn't any fun if we keep matching." Kailan plucked up a shot glass from the center of the table. He reached across with the offering, and Vincent took in with a sense of challenge. "I've got all night." Vinny tossed the drink back and recoiled with a deflating hiss. "I think you're scared," he added, voice gruff from the burn. "I don't get drunk, Vinny, you know that." Kailan tipped back his own glass, lassoing up the loose cards to shuffle the deck. "I'm out, someone else can take my place." He began to rise from his seat, when Vincent interjected. "One more," he pleaded, a white catty grin budding from his lips. "One more, or I turn the music up." Kailan rolled his eyes and slumped back into his chair. "You know how many 'one more's we've had?" "One more," he repeated with a dimpled smile. Kailan shook his head, but his grin stuck as he fanned the cards from one hand to the other. From across the table, Vincent observed. Perhaps it was the intensity that burned in his eyes, or the crescent smirk that could frighten the Cheshire cat himself. But Kailan could silence a crowd with

Breaking the Beast (Seven Ways to Sin 5) Read Free I’m here to interview The Beast, the French billionaire and ex-wrestler. Who knows that SEVEN lonely French men have other plans for me…When I’m asked to write an investigative piece on the ripped ex-wrestler who disappeared years ago, I know this is a job of a lifetime and potentially my biggest break as a journalist.There’s just one problem. The Beast never leaves his castle. If I want the job, I need to move in with him.Jacques, The Beast, is not who I imagined him to be at all. With chiseled abs and rock-hard body covered in tattoos, he is hiding a dark, painful past that I’m eager to find out. A damaged soul, he’s very protective of his privacy, only trusting his six best friends, who now work for him in the castle.Étienne, Isiah, Alexandre, Raphaël, Vincent, and Bernard all have smoking hot bodies to die for and a sexy French accent when they speak. Each one hotter than the last.Day by day, I'm more tempted by their shredded bodies and smoldering eyes.I can’t stop myself from imagining their irresistible bodies on me, their skillful hands caressing me, making me scream their names.And to my surprise, the men are lonely too, and our connection is overwhelming.Before long, hot kisses are exchanged and sensual touches drive me wild.But when my ailing Dad breaks down, I have to leave.And I walk right into a trap…A trap that may separate me from my lovers for good.Will our red-hot love affair survive? Or will our terrifying pasts destroy everything? *************** 1 Isabel New York in autumn was always my favorite time of the year. In the summer, the heat grows so oppressive it becomes almost a physical weight. No matter how light and breezy your sundress, beads of sweat pop up along your back the second you stepped foot outside, running down your spine to collect in the waistband of your underwear, which remained damp and uncomfortable all day. Winter nights were long and, since I moved out of Luis’ house, lonely; good only for curling up with a space heater and a book as wind shook the window panes. I used to love storms, loved tucking in with a long book and a cup of tea and listening to the rain and snow raging outside, while I was warm and safe inside. But now, with the specter of Luis lurking around every corner, sudden noises made me jumpy and anxious. Inside no longer felt quite as safe as it used to. But autumn was New York’s sweet spot, when the sticky summer months quickly faded from memory and the chill of winter still seemed a lifetime away. A crisp breeze met me as I emerged from the subway station, raising pleasant goosebumps along my arms. I tucked a library paperback under my arm for the short walk to my office building. Though I had long ago mastered the art of reading and walking, even I was not skilled enough to navigate the streets of the city with my nose buried in a book; I was liable to walk directly into an open manhole. I arrived at the office with a few minutes to spa

Tegan's Return (Blood Magic 2) Read Free Tegan always knew that she couldn’t remain hidden forever, she left Tribane to escape the danger posed to her by the supernatural creatures who dwell there, but every day she has mourned the friends and family she had to leave behind. It’s been two years, but Tegan struggles on with the new lonely life she has built for herself. She might crave human companionship, but at least she’s still alive. Unfortunately, all of her hard work in running away comes crashing down around her when a familiar face comes strolling into her new place of work one night. She considers leaving and starting over again, but this old acquaintance has a proposition for her, one that will see her returning to Tribane and fighting to rescue a little girl who has been kidnapped. Tegan feels for the child, but her heart is also swelling at the idea of going home to see the people she has missed the most. Can she kill two birds with one stone? Finally she decides that she will return, but what she finds on her arrival is that her father has gone missing, not to mention there has been an almighty war between the two opposing sides of the city. Throw into this her mixed emotions at seeing beautiful Ethan again, and there is a whole lot of confusion going on. Tegan finds herself playing the role of a spy, as she tries to find information as to the whereabouts of her father and the girl. Even though she is supposed to be pretending, she can’t help that she is falling for Ethan all over again, and if he discovers her true intentions for coming back then he might just hate her forever.Due for release April/May 2012. *************** Chapter One This Town Ain’t Big Enough for the Both of Us Two years later… Manchester. England. That’s the city I chose to run to. I don’t know, the name just seemed to call to me, Man-chester. I liked the way it sounded. Rolled off the tongue nicely. Now I’ve been here for quite a long time, longer than I expected to stay hidden from the supernatural creatures of Tribane. Rita’s spell must have worked a treat in preventing them from finding me. Then again, I did fly halfway across the world to get here. I’ve been working in a small independent art gallery. I used the money Ethan gave me to pay the deposit on an apartment in an old converted factory, then I went to the University of Manchester and enrolled in their Art History course. Now I’ve finally finished my degree. In contrast to how I completely fell apart after Matthew died, my heartache at having to leave Tribane made me as determined as a bulldog. I wasn’t going to let myself fall into a hole of self-pity again. So I took the bits and pieces of my broken life and slowly began putting them back together. I still feel empty though. My success at having completed my education and found a job is not enough to make me feel better about how I left. I can’t tell my dad or Nicky where I am because that would put them in danger, and I’m sure the vampires are keep

Aeromancist - The Beginning (Seven Forbidden Arts 2) Read Free *************** Chapter 1 Whoa! The glider in front of Lann Dreán dropped thirty feet, its left wing plunging toward the rugged peaks of the Santiago Andes Mountains. The Russian aeromancist tightened his fingers around his control stick in an involuntary reaction. Just in time, the erring pilot, Frank, righted the wings and caught a slipstream that carried the glider up. Feminine laughter sounded in Lann’s headphones. Mudak. Frank’s passenger should be frightened out of her wits, not sounding like she’s having the time of her life, which may very well be her last minutes if Frank didn’t quit the jackass stunts. “Can you go higher?” she asked Frank. “Faster?” Damn her. She was ruining the usual peace Lann enjoyed when up in the air. He knew the slipstreams, winds, and thermals like a mother knew her baby, and when they were on the ground, he was going to give Frank a piece of his mind for endangering his passenger’s life. Of course it didn’t help that the little hell’s angel encouraged Frank. Frank chuckled. “I’d like to show off, but I’ve got to work with the wind. Faster isn’t an option. Higher could get us killed.” Frank was right. He was gliding on the wave lift that pushed off the mountain peaks, and he was at maximum altitude for what conditions allowed. The click of her tongue was mocking. “They said you were the best.” Lann snorted at that. Frank’s glider dipped sideways. Too steep. The maneuver evoked an ecstatic female shriek. Lann didn’t have to check his instruments to know the risk was uncalculated. When Frank leveled the yawning glider, it bumped as it hit a downward airstream. The woman’s exclamation wasn’t any less excited. Fuck. She didn’t realize the aircraft was heading for a nosedive. With a flick of his hand, Lann created a mini cyclone that reversed the flow. The glider stabilized. He wasn’t supposed to use his ability to manipulate air unless it was during an approved and formal mission, but, even if it would serve Frank right to go into a tailspin, he wasn’t going to let the halfwit sacrifice his passenger. Frank centered the yaw string three degrees too far west. His wing tipped again. Lann couldn’t help but cut in. “Watch your tail, Frank. Crosswind at twenty degrees west, fifteen knots.” “Got it, Lann,” Frank said. “I’m trying to scare this kitten, but she’s doing serious damage to my ego.” Frank straightened his glider with an abrupt movement, making the woman giggle. She was enjoying the rough ride. Lann wouldn’t mind taking her on his own kind of ride. Her obvious love for flying captivated him. No doubt he could take her faster and higher. “I’m going in,” Frank said, making use of a colder air current to make his descent. She sighed. “Already?” “We’ve been up for almost an hour,” Frank said. “Hate to disappoint you, but my time’s up.” Lann wasn’t planning on going down so soon, but he requested landing clearance anyway. He steered the aircraft into the

Hydromancist (Seven Forbidden Arts 4) Read Free Maya Martin has a rare gift. It has been forbidden since the Dark Age, making her kind hunted both by government and forces that steal their art and sell it to the highest bidder. She is a hydromancist. She manipulates water. She can split the sea like Moses. Labeled a colored person in her country, Maya doesn’t fit in. She doesn’t belong with the blacks, or the whites. Mixed breeds like her with a Xhosa mother and Dutch father belong in the Cape Flats, one of the ugliest and deadliest places in South Africa. Life there is not worth a loaf of bread. Becoming the meanest gangster alive is the only way to survive. Violence became her value, fear her currency. Until Cain Jones came along. Joining his paranormal crime taskforce saved her from who she used to be. He gave her wars to fight that redeemed her soul. Nothing matters but the oath she took, to fight for the good of humanity. Her new life was on track until Cain sent her on a mission to Costa Rica to destroy illegal shipments of AK47’s smuggled from Mexico to Zimbabwe. The main suspect is Timothy Fardel, the Australian ambassador. Tim is like no man Maya has ever met. He is generous, compassionate and enigmatic. Their attraction is undeniable. He is also an arms dealer. He is the man she has to destroy. *************** Chapter 1 Timothy Fardel pulled his attention away from the woman dining alone at the table next to him and his guests for the tenth time that evening. He redirected his gaze to the couple across from him to give them his undivided attention. Billy Malloy, a potential American investor, was vacationing with his wife, Ann, in Costa Rica. Tim had invited them to the restaurant to convince Malloy that his money would be profitably spent in the Australian beef export market. “Mr. Ambassador, if you’ll excuse my frankness,” Billy Malloy said, “it doesn’t make sense that my company should invest millions in the beef market, when the country is crippled by drought. During the last quarter…” Tim stopped listening. He couldn’t help or explain it. His senses were drawn to the stranger’s sea-green eyes, the oriental vanilla smell of her perfume, and the gracious way her slender fingers moved as she toyed with her napkin. Beads rattled as she flicked her dreadlocks over her shoulder. Her smooth caramel skin would feel like velvet. He noticed, not without unjustified irritation, that he wasn’t the only man staring. With high cheekbones, a thin and straight nose, and full lips she appeared exotic. Tim rubbed a finger over his lips. She wasn’t a local. He’d heard her asking the waiter about the specials of the day with an English accent he couldn’t place. Judging by her toned muscles, she worked out. She had an air of adventure about her mixed with self-assurance and female sensuality. In short, she was exactly his type. Malloy droned on, “…if we have a repeat of the recession…” The woman finished a blue cocktail with a glazed maraschino ch

Circle of Desire (Damask Circle 3) Read Free In ten years of working for the Damask Circle, shapeshifter Katherine Tanner has never come across anything that goes after kids the way this monster does, and she has never met anything that does to them what this thing does. And it’s not something she wants to confront. But with the Circle’s resources stretched to the limits, she’s given very little choice. The last thing she needs is interference from a cop who has no idea what he’s up against.Ethan Morgan’s niece is one of the missing children and he has every intention of not only defying the odds and bringing her back alive, but of catching the monster behind these kidnappings and bringing her to justice. Even if he has to break every law in the country to do it. And he's willing to use anyone and everyone to achieve those aims--even a crazy woman who claims to be a witch.Forced to join forces, Ethan and Kat are drawn to each other, but fight their feelings as they struggle to uncover clues that will lead them to the monster’s lair and battle a seemingly endless supply of zombies and other dead things determined to stop them. But time is ticking away and both know the monster behind these kidnappings rarely keeps her victims alive for more than seven days. And four of those have already gone.But the greatest threat to Kat might not come from the forces of darkness gathering around them, but from the man she is beginning to love.Because Ethan is a werewolf...and the full moon is rising... *************** AIR HISSED THROUGH THE SILENCE. TENDRILS OF SMOKE began to curl past the window frames, its color luminous yet sickly. Katherine Tanner tugged one of the two white ash stakes strapped to her jeans free and clenched it tightly. On the opposite side of the room, a little girl slept on, oblivious to the smoky slivers of evil beginning to slip past the window. Kat hoped she remained unaware, but how likely was that, given her kidnapper seemed to be targeting children born into shifter families? While not all shifters were sensitive to magic, many were. It was a part of their soul, after all, even if a child this young would not be able to shift form. Not until puberty, anyway. Kat was keeping her fingers crossed that this kid did get the chance to hit puberty. Because if Gwen’s premonition was right—and her grandmother’s premonitions usually were—this child would be the next to go missing. They’d done everything they could to prevent that. They’d nailed the windows shut, they had cops patrolling close by, and warding stones had been placed around the child’s bed to prevent any magic from coming close. But these wards weren’t designed to stop evil itself—and that’s what was seeping into this room tonight. Kat’s stomach began to churn. Though she’d spent the last ten years hunting the rogue elements of the supernatural community that preyed on humans, she’d never come across anything that went after kids the way this thing did. She had never met anythin

Valentine's Day Sucks Read Free *************** Chapter One At times like this, I was grateful that I hadn’t sprouted fangs. My parents would have freaked! Things were bad enough around here with my mother angry about staying home for New Year’s Eve. “You haven’t used your gift cards from Christmas, yet,” Mom said, handing me another china plate to dry. “I’ve never known you to hold off on shopping for six whole days.” “I don’t know what I want,” I said as I carefully stacked the plate on the table. I knew exactly what I wanted, of course. Blood, blood, and more blood. I’d thought of nothing else in the months since I’d turned. I almost smiled as I imagined my mother’s expression if she read that Christmas list. “Remember that you promised me you wouldn’t just order a bunch of sweatshirts and t-shirts, Natalie.” My mother said giving gift cards robbed her of the joy of shopping. She agreed to give them to me only after giving me guidelines on my shopping choices. I didn’t have the luxury of worrying about little, insignificant things like whether my wardrobe was too grungy in her opinion. I had real problems. I knew my mother was irritated with my behavior. She couldn’t understand why I hadn’t rushed out to the mall with a joyous expression. The holidays had not gone well for me. Today had been one more insufferably long day. My mother was losing patience with me, and if I wasn’t careful, she’d lose her temper. Luckily, I could control mine. I had learned to be as apathetic, as close to the I-don’t-care line, as possible. Any strong emotions could prompt me to lose control of myself and my disconcerting appetites. “Your father better plan an amazing Valentine’s Day. We’ve always gone out for a romantic New Year’s Eve.” Whatever, I thought. I’d never been a big fan of Valentine’s Day. The truth is that Valentine’s Day sucks. A clamor of excited voices from the media room gave me an idea. “Should I take Dad and Uncle Jerry some more beer?” “Go,” Mom said without looking at me. My uncle’s visit had ruined my mother’s plans for New Year’s Eve. My father and uncle were having a blast, but Mom wanted her champagne and dancing. I ran to the fridge, grabbed two bottles, and left the kitchen. It wasn’t convenient for me either. I’d suffered through days of holiday activities and family traditions. Tonight should have meant freedom for me. My parents should have been out celebrating. And, did I mention that all I could think about was blood? In the media room, I stepped over my two younger brothers who were lying on the floor to watch the game. Dad, Uncle Jerry, and my oldest brother, Travis, had hogged the media chairs. I set a beer by each of the adults, glared when sixteen-year-old Travis tried to snake Jerry’s half-empty old one, and left the guys to their football. Once upstairs in my room, I relaxed. I felt in control when I was in my room. Everywhere else, I struggled to behave like a normal person. I plopped onto my bed. Normal. As if. I hadn’t ac

Embrace the Power (The Blood Rose 9) Read Free *************** Chapter One “Thinking about kissing that wolf of yours?” Stone pulled his focus away from the large central monitor in his Communication Center. From his command station, he turned in a slow pivot to stare down his personal assistant, Delia. “You’ve officially lost the last card in your deck. And she’s not ‘my’ wolf. Aralynn and I run missions together. That’s all.” He tried to sound both innocent and slightly offended, despite the fact he’d been thinking about the exact shape of the woman’s lips for the past half hour. Aralynn would be checking in soon. But had he been thinking about kissing her? Hell yeah, about every other minute for the past seven weeks. Delia’s right brow rose as she lifted her head from her laptop and stared back. She wasn’t intimidated by him, something he loved about her. “Hah,” she whispered. “The minute she appears at the door, you light up like you’ve just discovered air.” Busted. Despite the accuracy of her observation, he lifted his chin. “You don’t know anything about it.” Delia ignored this comment. “She’s pretty, I’ll give her that. Hey, I’ve got an idea. You should take her as your date to the gala. I’d like to see the two of you do one of those levitating waltzes you mastyrs are famous for.” “Not gonna happen.” He’d thought about it, though. But taking a date to a formal event would give rise to all kinds of gossip. The gala was Delia’s idea and would be held in celebration of the Federation of the Nine Realms, a new organization to which all the ruling mastyrs now belonged. It was an amazing time in his world. No one thought that a federation of the realms was possible, the mastyrs being supremely independent types. But the Ancient Fae had made it clear she wouldn’t quit trying to take over their world until the last realm-person was buried six feet under. Stone had pushed for the Federation as well as the Combined Forces of the Vampire Guards, and Shifter and Troll Brigades of all the realms. Over the past several months, since Ian and Regan had almost captured Margetta in the mountains of Camberlaune, Stone had worked hard to build a buttress against Margetta. He and Ian together had organized hundreds of training sessions for the Combined Forces, running drills and shaping a real army to battle against Margetta when the time came. As for the gala, all the movers and shakers of each realm would be there, hundreds of elected officials. The ruling mastyrs would also attend, each with his bonded blood rose. If Stone took Aralynn as his date, the question would be raised: Was she his blood rose? Like hell he was ready for that kind of question. The blood rose phenomenon had swept through the Nine Realms, assaulting one mastyr vampire after another. He’d escaped so far, but there’d been no indication Aralynn had blood rose ability. He didn’t exactly crave her. Okay, maybe he did, but he’d been without a girlfriend for a while. It was time he hooked up

Paradise Lost (The Vampire Diaries 20) Read Free *************** “The mind is its own place, and in itself can make a heaven of hell, a hell of heaven…” ? John Milton “Hey, mister?” It was long after sunset. Damon Salvatore sat in a back booth of the most seedy and disreputable joint in all of Pine Grove, which was the most seedy and disreputable village to be found near Dyer, the little town that embraced Dalcrest College. He was reading the Dyer County Herald. “Mister?” Damon dipped his newspaper and looked over the top of his Ray Ban sunglasses at a young woman—a girl—a sort of moppet. She had dark olive skin and unnaturally brilliant scarlet hair in heavy, helter-skelter curls. You could mistake her for maybe sixteen if you fell for her round, ingenuous blue eyes or missed her ability to seem shorter and slighter than she actually was. She brought to mind someone he cared about, who was genuinely small and fragile and had soft strawberry curls and a heart-shaped face. On the strength of that resemblance, he spoke to her. “Yeah?” The girl of sixteen, going on twenty-two, going on ageless, put her head on one side endearingly. “Hey. Do you like to play pool, mister?” “Nope.” Damon retreated back behind the Herald. He was scanning the obituaries column—it was his way of keeping score. There was a stainless steel hipflask on the rather sticky table, monogramed DS. Damon opened this and took a sip of dark, satiny Black Magic wine. Ah. Good year. Bad week, though: no mention of cause of death, no mention, no mention in the obituaries. A murder, but not one of his, since it had happened the night before last and he could vividly recall not killing anyone then. A young woman, too. Weird that there was nothing about the murder in the headlines, but then this was werewolf country, which was why Damon was keeping score in the first place. Aha! “After a brief illness”—but definitely one of his. He vividly recalled the three heavy, hairy bodies striking him from three directions at a few days ago in the Dyer woods. He also remembered the recoil in his arm as he drove a silver-edged switchblade into the largest wolf’s brindled chest while two-inch-long fangs gnashed together just beyond his nose. Plus, he recognized the thirty-something face of the human that had appeared when the werewolf collapsed dead in the obit. So “a brief illness” now encompassed death by a silver blade, he mused. Something stirred at the bottom of his newspaper. “Mister?” It was the moppet again, peeking upward. “I just thought,” she said artlessly, twinkling her baby blue eyes, “that since you were sitting back here by the pool tables all alone, you might want to teach me something. My name is Kenzy.” She smiled like sugared sunshine. “Really,” Damon murmured, noting with disappointment that she was neither a vampire nor a ’wolf on the prowl for meat. He couldn’t teach the little hustler a proper lesson. But maybe . . . “Okay, let’s play!” he said, flashing a very brief—if dazzli

With the Sunrise (Dusk Before Dawn 2) Read Free Athan Bancroft was drawn to a ring with a striking amethyst a century ago and has been wearing it all those years. He had no idea the piece of jewelry was meant for his destined consort—until he looked across a crowded ballroom straight into eyes that were a perfect match for the stone. Selene Brassard has always been fascinated by stories about vampires, but she had no idea they really existed. Or that she’d spend the rest of her very long life with one.But will what her parents think they know about the vampire world destroy what Athan and Selene are building together? *************** PrologueAthanA century before...“I’m going to stop in that shop for a moment.” My friend, Silas, pointed at a small vintage emporium across the street from the tailor where we’d picked up our suits for his wedding ceremony. “I want to purchase a little gift for my Victoria to wear with her bridal gown.” I glanced at my watch to see that it was nearing seven at night. “Best hurry. I imagine they’ll be closing any minute.” Living a mostly nocturnal life could be a pain in the ass sometimes. Humans always wanted to close up before the sun went down. However, seeing as we were vampires, night life was definitely preferred, despite being daywalkers. Simply because we were immune to sunlight didn’t mean we enjoyed it. Our skin was pale, which made it exceptionally susceptible to burning. And our light eyes had better vision in the dark. Plus, Silas, my two brothers, Kieran and Stephan, and I often spent our nights chasing and slaying nightwalkers. Those were the evil, stereotypical vampires that humans read about in their stories. They hunted the mates of our kind, killing off our consorts to decimate the population of daywalkers. In the long run, it was easier to get up a little earlier in the evening to run errands and complete other tasks than to constantly pay people to open their doors to us late at night. Silas bounded across the street, and I followed at a much more sedate pace. He’d recently found his consort, and as happy as I was for him, his constant cheer and energy were a little irritating. The sweet way he talked about his consort gave me a fucking toothache. I wondered if I would act like such a pussy if I ever found my mate. But after four hundred years, I was beginning to accept that it would never happen. By the time I reached the front door to the shop, Silas was already inside, talking animatedly with the man behind a long display case. I hung back, waiting for him to make his purchase so I could return home and get ready for the night ahead of me. To my right was another glass enclosure that held ornate cuff links, and I found myself a little curious, so I wandered over to take a look. When I stepped up to the display, my eyes didn’t linger on the items in front of me. Instead, they immediately wandered to the left where a plethora of rings sat in a bed of white velvet. Among them was a gold ring with

Shadow Rising (Otherworld/Sisters of the Moon 12) Read Free *************** Chapter 1 I hadn’t been home to Otherworld in a while—not for any length of time. As we stepped through the portal into the barrows near Elqaneve, the Elfin City, the brilliance of the night sky hit me, untainted by the light pollution running rampant in Earthside cities. Over there, even in the country, the stars sparkled more faintly, muted and dim. But here…I stared up at the heavens, stunned. Had I really been away long enough for me to forget how beautiful my home world was? And yet…and yet…the Earthside city lights that watched over the nighttime landscape called to me. The hustle and bustle of Seattle had worked its way under my skin, and I wasn’t so sure I wanted to return home for good, even should we be offered the chance. We arrived in Otherworld just shy of seven P.M., and the darkness of the spring evening was spiraling over the sky. My sisters were relieved to see the chill weather begin to break, but I preferred winter, when the sun set earlier and rose later. During summer, the long sleep of daylight claimed too much of my time. But the wheel must turn, and now spring held sway. The vernal equinox was due in a week, and along with it, my promise ceremony with Nerissa. We still hadn’t settled on details for the ceremony, and time was running short. As was my girlfriend’s temper. It irked her that I couldn’t come up with ideas for a concrete plan. My continual stream of “whatever you want” was wearing thin, but the truth was, I had no clue what I wanted. When Dredge had turned me into a vampire, I’d let go all hope and plans for love and weddings, and now I couldn’t remember what I had dreamed about before I’d lost my life. But thoughts of Nerissa and home and rituals drifted to the back of my mind as Trenyth approached. The advisor to Queen Asteria, he was meeting us to escort us back to the palace in the center of the Elfin city. “About time he got here. I’m freezing,” Delilah mumbled as she blew on her fingers. Camille jabbed her in the ribs with an elbow. “I’m cold, too, but be nice. He probably got held up by something important.” “He can’t hear me from over there.” Delilah glared at her, then shrugged and jammed her hands in the pockets of her jeans. “Don’t bet on it. Elves have extremely sensitive hearing.” “Shut up, both of you. Whining about the cold won’t do anything to warm you up.” I felt a little guilty barking at them. After all, I was immune to the chill. Vampires didn’t feel much in the way of weather changes unless it was extreme, one way or the other. I knew my sisters and our escorts were freezing, but I didn’t want Trenyth’s feelings hurt. We’d divided up the manpower, making some of the guys stay home. Accompanying us were Trillian, one of Camille’s husbands; Shade, Delilah’s half-dragon fiancé; Chase, the human detective with a touch of elf in his background; Rozurial, an incubus; and Vanzir, a demon who worked with us. That left us wi

The Art of Seducing a Naked Werewolf (Naked Werewolf 2) Read Free Baring It All Generations of werewolves have been secretly residing in a secluded valley a stone’s throw from Grundy, Alaska. So when a snooping Outsider comes to Grundy to investigate rumors of lycanthropic shenanigans in the area, the valley’s pack alpha, Maggie Graham, resolves to chase him away, even if doing so takes a quick bite on the butt. What a pity that researcher Nick Thatcher turns out to be so drool-worthy, and that his kisses make Maggie want to sit up and beg. Maggie just can’t seem to convince Nick to leave . . . and even worse, she can’t convince herself to stay away from him. Cross-species dating is problem enough for a harried alpha female, but on top of that, a rival group of werewolves is trying to move into the valley. With interpack war threatening, Maggie can’t afford to be distracted. Combining romance and a career can be tough for anyone; for a werewolf in love with a human, it may be disastrous. . . . *************** 1 Dante Hosts a Baby Shower in the Seventh Circle THE BEST THING ABOUT being a werewolf was that you never needed a sports bra. It’s hard to explain to humans the absolute freedom of running on all fours. The feeling of my feet hitting the ground without anything between the pads of my skin and the earth, the undeniable pull of the moving forward, the spring of the leap, the scent of the cold north wind. It’s all of the awesome Nike commercials combined, without having to fork over a hundred bucks for shoes. Because you don’t need any shoes. Or boob binders. I dashed through the underbrush, following the fresh scent trail left by a panicked rabbit. I yipped in my excitement, barreling between trees and under low fingers of pine. The foliage grew thinner, golden-green light filtering through the pine needles as we approached a clearing. Silly rabbit, heading for open ground. My canine brain was rolling over the potential hilarity of a silly rabbit as a sitting duck, distracting me from a less familiar scent on the breeze. Man. A strange man was not supposed to be wandering this close to the Crescent Valley, a fingernail-moon-shaped dent in the Alaskan interior that was a lush, game-filled heaven on earth for werewolves. Alone, there was nothing I could do but hide and hope he wasn’t armed. Without breaking my stride, I turned, ducking under the branches of a pine tree the width of a minivan, and waited. I didn’t recognize any part of this human’s scent. It was smoky, mossy, but sort of fresh, like new leaves and my mom’s homemade bread. My mouth started to water a little. That was weird. My ears perked up at the sound of footsteps trudging through the soft, dry grass. I hunched close to the ground and waited for his boots to appear in my line of vision. I held my breath, knowing that I would growl and give myself away. The delicious greenery-and-home-cooking smell invaded my head as two feet stepped precariously close to my hiding spot. Old b

Beauty in Summer (Beauty 2) Read Free *************** Chapter One Her “I’m sorry I can’t help you this time.” I check my watch. I’m going to miss the bus. My car battery has been dead for a week, and my dad hasn’t been able to stop by to give me a jump. “But, Bellamy, I don’t have anyone else to ask,” Shelley whines through my earpiece. “It’s so last minute, Shell. I have plans.” My plans consist of a bowl of popcorn and a movie, but my friend doesn’t need to know that. “Since when?” she scoffs. “The last time you went out on a date was with Greg and me…” She trails off, remembering too late that my first date with Greg happened to be the last because Shell showed up, batted her eyelashes, and Greg ended up calling her the next day instead of me. “Anyway, never mind about that. Can’t you move your plans? Just this once?” “No.” I race toward the front door of the café. “What?” My abrupt response surprises both of us. In the past, I’d do anything she asked. I guess I’ve grown tired of that. “I said no.” “Is this because I couldn’t meet you for dinner the other night?” I stop in the middle of opening the door. The other night happened to be my twenty-eighth birthday. My parents had forgotten and scheduled a vacation—separately, of course. They haven’t been in the same room together for the last fifteen years. I didn’t have many friends, other than Shelley, which is why I let her use and abuse me for so many years. “Couldn’t meet? How about standing me?” “I called,” she says. “Forty minutes after our reservation.” I’d sat there alone, enduring pitying glances from the waiter. “It’s just a dinner,” Shelley protests feebly. “It’s not about the dinner.” It wasn’t just missing that one event that angered me. It was all the times she stood me up to go hang out with her cooler friends or some guy. It was all the times she called asking for some ridiculous favor like baking a pie so she could pretend that she was a great cook or having me pick up donuts at five in the morning to schmooze some client she wanted desperately to land. “Then what is it?” she asks impatiently. Her obtuseness is frustrating. I was there for her in all those times, but she couldn’t come to celebrate my birthday with me? An event she knew about for weeks? She even booked us at Flavors, a restaurant whose prices are too high for my impoverished state. Yet, I went anyway, even though I knew it meant eating ramen noodles for the rest of the month. “I’m busy,” I repeat. I pull open the door and search for my mother. “If you don’t do this for me, then I don’t see how we can remain friends,” she snaps. Mom raises an imperious hand in my direction. I can tell by the stiffness in her frame she’s pissed. My shoulders slump. “You called me this morning to ask me to drive two hours to deliver a report that you should’ve delivered two days ago. Even if I wasn’t busy, it’s a really big chore you’ve asked me to do.” “God, Bellamy. You’re so dramatic. We both know you have no love life and that t

Destined to the Alpha (Alphas in Heat 3) Read Free There’s something strange about this small Montana town. The men are huge, rough, and growly. There’s also an abnormally large amount of Alphas among them. But there’s one Alpha who stands above them all. Westin Wood. Firefighter. Grizzly bear shifter. Muscular god. He can have any girl he wants and for some reason, he’s chosen the curvy sarcastic waitress down at the local diner… …me. He’s very vocal about what he wants and I’m not talking about him ordering off the menu. He wants me. Claimed and marked. For a customer he’s a tad possessive. And protective. And downright wild. Luckily for me, my shift finishes in ten minutes… Ready for an alpha who can handle the heat and likes his girl with some meat? Westin is a dominant Over-The-Top grizzly bear shifter who will have you howling for more. This is the third book in the Alphas In Heat series featuring the bear shifters from the Blackcloud Point fire station. Fire-fighting bear shifters? Yes, please! The books can be read in any order. This fireman romance shifter book is SAFE, with no cheating, and a furry HEA guaranteed. *************** Chapter One Kimberly “Miss!” the man with the big lumpy head says as he aggressively waves me over. Shit. Come on, Kimberly. Be nice. You want to keep your job or sleep in the bus station tonight? I put on my best fake smile and walk over as I smooth out my waitressing apron. He shoves the bill in my face. “What does that say?” “Carl’s Diner.” “Not there! Here!” “That says one cup of coffee. Which you ordered. And drank.” It’s getting hard to keep my fake smile plastered on my face. “And look how much it is. Three dollars. Three! Is this some kind of special gourmet blend or something?” “Yes,” I say as I tilt my head and deepen my smile. “Our coffee is made from a special, very rare coffee bean only found in the Himalayan mountains. Each bean is lovingly handpicked by blonde Swedish virgins who store them in their virginal trousers. Then, the beans are shipped to Vatican City where each one is blessed individually by the Pope.” “Oh, really?” he says sarcastically. “Yes,” I continue with a straight face. “Once they’re blessed, they’re flown in a private luxury jet to the rainforests of Borneo where endangered baby pandas grind them to the perfect consistency with their little baby teeth. They’re then brought here and filtered by glacial waters from lake Titicaca, the highest altitude freshwater lake in the world. You see the altitude gives the water the perfect amount of acidity for brewing a flawless cup of coffee. That’s why it’s three dollars. The diner actually loses thirty-six thousand dollars for each cup we sell, but Carl is such a coffee connoisseur that he takes the hit for your drinking pleasure. I hope you agree that at only three dollars a cup, it’s a wonderful deal.” He’s just staring at me like I’ve peeled the skin off my face and shown that I’m a robot underneath. “You are incredibly weird.” “T

Dark Slayer (Dark 20) Read Free A rumor has persisted in the vampire world of a dark slayer—a woman—who travels with a wolf pack and any among the vampires who meets her is slain. Mysterious, elusive and seemingly impossible to kill, she is the one hunter who strikes terror into the hearts of the vampires.Ivory Malinov is that woman, betrayed by her own people, by her family, by everyone she held dear and she hunts during the night with only her pack to sustain her sanity. She has not spoken to or been with any other person for a hundred years other than to feed from or slay. She stumbles across a body on her way back to her lair and discovers—her lifemate.He is Razvan, branded a hated criminal, detested, feared and loathed by all Carpathians—he is also a dragonseeker of one of the greatest lineages of all Carpathians. Held captive nearly his entire life by his grandfather, the Carpathians bitterest enemy, he is seeking the dawn to end his terrible existence.This is a story of two people, horribly betrayed, wounded in spirit, fighters to the death, who must struggle to unite against a common enemy. *************** Swirling mist veiled the mountains and crept into the deep forest, stringing layers of white through the snow-laden trees. Pockets of deep snow hid life beneath the cap of ice crystals and along the banks of the stream. Shrubs and fields of grass rose like statues, frozen in time. The snow gave the world a bluish cast. The forest, where icicles hung, and the stream, with its water frozen in bizarre shapes, seemed an eerie, alien world. Clear, crisp and cold, the night sky shone bright with stars, and a full, glowing moon spilled a silvery light over the frozen ground. Silent shadows slipped through the trees and ice-coated bushes, moving with absolute stealth. Large paws made tracks in the snow, a good six inches in diameter, single file, the trail winding in and out through the trees and thick shrubbery. Although they looked in good health, strong with steel muscles rippling beneath thick fur, the wolves were hungry and needed food to keep the pack alive through the long, brutal winter. The alpha suddenly stopped, going very still, sniffing the trail around him, lifting his nose to scent the wind. The others halted, wraiths only, silent shadows that immediately fanned out. The alpha moved forward, staying downwind while the others sank low, waiting. A yard away, a large piece of raw meat lay on the trail, fresh, the scent wafting temptingly back toward the wolf. Wary, he circled, using his nose to detect potential danger. Scenting nothing but the meat, with his saliva running and his belly empty, he approached again, going downwind, angling toward the large piece of lifesaving food. He went in three times and backed away, but no hint of danger presented itself. He nosed in a fourth time and something slipped over his neck. The alpha leapt back and the wire tightened. The more he struggled, the more the wire cut into him, strangling

The Power (The Secret Circle 3) Read Free *************** Chapter One "Diana, I have a little surprise for you," Faye said. Diana's emerald eyes, with their thick sooty lashes, were swimming already. She still hadn't recovered from the shocks of tonight, and her face was strained as she stared at Faye. Well, there was worse to come. Now that it was finally going to happen, Cassie felt a curious sense of freedom. No more hiding, no more lying and evading. The nightmare was here at last. "I suppose I should have told you before, but I didn't want to upset you," Faye was saying. Her eyes burned golden with a savage inner fire. Adam, who wasn't stupid, glanced from Cassie to Faye and obviously came to a quick, if shattering, conclusion. He swiftly cupped a hand under Diana's elbow. "Whatever it is can wait," he said. "Cassie ought to go and see her mother, and - " "No, it can't wait, Adam Conant," Faye interrupted. "It's time Diana found out what sort of people she has around her." Faye whirled to face Diana again, her pale skin glowing with strange elation against the midnight-dark mane of her hair. "The ones you've chosen," she said to her cousin. "Your dearest friend - and him. The incorruptible Sir Adam. Do you want to know the reason you couldn't make it as leader? Do you want to know how naive you really are?" Everyone was gathering close now, staring. Cassie could see varying degrees of bewilderment and suspicion in their expressions. The full moon shining from the west was so bright that it cast shadows, and it illuminated every detail of the scene. Cassie looked at each of them: tough Deborah, beautiful Suzan with her perfect face marred by a puzzled frown, cool Melanie, and graceful, elfin Laurel. She looked at Chris and Doug Henderson, the wild twins, who were standing by the slinking figure of Sean, and at icily handsome Nick behind them. Finally she looked at Adam. He was still holding Diana's arm, but his proud, arresting face was tense and alert. His eyes met Cassie's and something like understanding flashed between them, and then Cassie looked away, ashamed. She had no right to lean on Adam's strength. She was about to be exposed for what she was in front of the entire Circle. "I kept hoping they would do the decent thing and control themselves," Faye said. "For their own sake, if not yours. But, obviously - " "Faye, what are you talking about?" Diana interrupted, her patience splintering. "Why, about Cassie and Adam, of course," Faye said, slowly opening her golden eyes wide. "About how they've been fooling around behind your back." The words fell like stones into a tranquil pool. There was a long moment of utter silence, then Doug Henderson threw back his head and laughed. "Yeah, an' my mom's a topless dancer," he jeered. "And Mother Teresa's really Catwoman," said Chris. "Come on, Faye," Laurel said sharply. "Don't be ridiculous." Faye smiled. "1 don't blame you for not believing me," she said. "I was shocked too. But you see, it

Pulled to the Alpha (Alphas in Heat 5) Read Free Blake turns into one possessive polar bear shifter when he sees the girl who belongs to him. Nobody, including that vicious dragon shifter, is going to stop him from claiming what's his.This is the fifth book in the Alphas in Heat series featuring the bear shifters from the Blackcloud Point fire station. Fire-fighting bear shifters? Yes, please!The books can be read in any order.This fireman romance shifter book is SAFE, with no cheating, and a furry HEA guaranteed. *************** Chapter One Blake “Watch it, Blake,” Ethan warns as I get in close to the flames. “You can heal from the fire, but you can’t get rid of the scars.” I take off my jacket and start beating the flames with it. I can handle getting burned. I’ve never minded pain. And about the scars… What does it matter anyway? I’m fifty-four and I still haven’t found my mate. At this point, I don’t think she’s ever coming so I might as well get some scars if it means saving this nice family’s house. My inner polar bear roars as we feel the heat. Sweat breaks out all over my skin as the hairs on my arm turn to ash. I’m hitting the flaming carpet with my jacket, trying desperately to fight the flames back, but they’re growing everywhere. We got a call about a chimney fire in a house and we rushed over. It’s not just the chimney. The whole damn living room is on fire and if I don’t move fast, the whole place will be engulfed in flames soon. And those sweet people outside with the crying kids will be stuck in a hotel for months. “It’s too much,” Ethan says as he coughs from the thick smoke. “It’s going to take the hose for this one.” I know what’s going to happen if we start unloading water in here. The whole house will be ruined. If I can just get it under control, then they’ll only have to renovate one room rather than restart from scratch. “Go set it up,” I say as my throat burns and my eyes water. “Wait until my word before you open the pipe.” Ethan nods and then rushes out. Carter and Rylan are outside and Westin is back at the station. It’s just me against the fire now. I can’t get the image of that poor lady outside in the snow with her two kids out of my mind. Seeing her husband’s arm around her shoulders as she cried really got to me. I know he would do this for his girl if he could, so I’m going to do it for him. I wish I had someone like that to fight for. A mate to die for. I’m coughing and hacking away as I beat back the flames. I put out the fire on the carpet and kick in a couple of walls to find the flames hiding behind. Ethan comes back in with a fire hydrant and tosses it to me. I catch it and let it rip, pouring it in the walls, then up the chimney. I open the window to let the smoke escape and get some of that fresh winter air in. I stick my head out and take a deep breath of the chilly mountain air. It feels like ice in my searing lungs. It feels so good. But nothing feels as good as seeing the reactions on the family’s fac

Veil of Midnight (Midnight Breed 5) Read Free Bound by blood, addicted to danger, they'll enter the darkest—and most erotic—place of all.A warrior trained in bullets and blades, Renata cannot be bested by any man—vampire or mortal. But her most powerful weapon is her extraordinary psychic ability—a gift both rare and deadly. Now a stranger threatens her hard-won independence—a golden-haired vampire who lures her into a realm of darkness…and pleasure beyond imagining. A combat-loving adrenaline junkie, Nikolai dispenses his own justice to enemies of the Breed—and his latest quarry is a ruthless assassin. One woman stands in his way: the seductive, cool-as-ice bodyguard, Renata. But Renata’s powers are put to the test when a loved one, a child, is threatened and she’s forced to turn to Niko for help. As the two join forces, as desire fans the flames of a deeper hunger, Renata’s life is under siege by a man who offers the exquisite pleasure of a blood bond—and a passion that could save or doom them both forever.… *************** Chapter One On stage in the cavernous jazz club below Montreal's street level, a crimson-lipped singer drawled into the microphone about the cruelty of love. Although her sultry voice was pleasant enough, the lyrics about blood and pain and pleasure clearly heartfelt, Nikolai wasn't listening. He wondered if she knew - if any of the dozens of humans packed into the intimate club knew - that they were sharing breathing space with vampires. The two young females sucking down pink martinis in the dark corner banquette sure as hell didn't know it. They were sandwiched between four such individuals, a group of slick, leather-clad males who were chatting them up - without much success - and trying to act like their bloodthirsty eyes hadn't been permanently fixed on the women's jugulars for the past fifteen minutes straight. Even though it was clear that the vampires were negotiating hard to get the humans out of the club with them, they weren't making much progress with their prospective blood Hosts. Nikolai scoffed under his breath. Amateurs. He paid for the beer he'd left untouched on the bar and headed at an easy stroll toward the corner table. As he approached, he watched the two human females scoot out of the booth on unsteady legs. Giggling, they stumbled for the restrooms together, disappearing down a dim, crowded hallway off the main room. Nikolai sat down at the table in a negligent sprawl. "Evening, ladies." The four vampires stared at him in silence, instantly recognizing their own kind. Niko lifted one of the tall, lipstick -stained martini glasses to his nose and sniffed at the dregs of the fruity concoction. He winced, pushing the offending drink aside. "Humans," he drawled in a low voice. "How can they stomach that shit?" A wary silence fell over the table as Nikolai's glance traveled among the obviously young, obviously civilian Breed males. The largest of the four cleared his throat as he looked at Niko, his insti