Thursday, July 16, 2015
Woohoo! Moonlight and Shadows is available now at Smashwords.
About the ebook:
Two Werekind packs teeter on the edge of war. Someone has killed the Istvaan alpha, and Sylvie won't rest until justice is served. Forced into a meeting with her greatest rival, she's shocked to discover her mate is none other than the Dartega pack assassin, Erik.
Sylvie realizes she'll never be able to claim him as her own, but there are other, more important things to do than mourn a broken heart. The mating moon is rising in a few days, and someone is trying to kill her. She needs to lie low, but Erik is on her trail. He has waited a long time to find her, and pack affiliations mean nothing to a man on the hunt for his one true mate.
Moonlight and Shadows is an expanded rerelease for readers 18+. Contains violence and graphic sex. Genre: erotica / paranormal romantic suspense
Reviews for Moonlight and Shadows...
Moonlight and Shadows - "...fast paced, erotic, and action packed..." - Tanya, Joyfully Reviewed
Praise for Moonlight and Shadows. "Ms. Zane's werewolf stories are always impossible to put down, but she has really outdone herself with this one." - Maura Frankman, The Romance Studio
Moonlight and Shadows - "sexy shifters with a meaty plot" - L.T Blue, 5 stars from JERR (Just Erotic Romance Reviews
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Werekind Series :: Chasing Moonlight
It's release day for Chasing Moonlight.
About Chasing Moonlight -
Blaze Logan can't figure out why Shelby keeps avoiding him, especially since he's sure the raven-haired beauty is his mate. When she breaks one date too many, he goes to her cabin to call her out, only to find her in the throes of a painful transformation.
Shelby's secret is out. Unable to control her inner wolf, she is at the mercy of the moon. Determined to help her gain control no matter what it takes, Blaze is going to have to act fast in order to help her. She’s chasing moonlight, and the full moon is only days away.
BUY LINK - http://www.cobblestone-press.com/catalog/books/chasingmoonlight.htm#
EXCERPT - {Adult Content Warning :: Chasing Moonlight contains adult content, including graphic sexual situations and language. This work of fiction is intended for readers over the age of 18.}
Chapter One
The hot August night smelled of wolf, burn barrels, and lust. Across the ruined, century-old homestead, motorcycles revved, the rumbling engines opening to a full throttle roar that blanketed the riot of catcalls and rock music. Blaze Logan pushed through the crowd, looking for Shelby, the one woman who held his heart in her hands.
He spotted a slender woman with long, straight black hair walking along the rows of motorcycles, and his heart leapt. Was it her?
Tense and hopeful, he followed behind her a few minutes, but then the woman turned her head, and he glimpsed her angular profile—definitely not Shelby. His heart sank. Frowning, he stopped near one of the burn barrels and scanned the crowd.
The full moon was still a couple of days away, and Miller’s Landing was packed for a Thursday night. That alone might’ve driven her off. She was painfully shy and mostly stayed to herself, so it was likely a large gathering wouldn’t be her thing. Hell, it had taken some careful maneuvering on his part to get her to speak more than a few words to him. Still, he wanted to give Shelby the benefit of the doubt, even if it wasn’t the first time she’d stood him up.
He made his way back over to the row of motorcycles closest to where he’d parked. So much for that. He continued to scan the crowd, but Shelby was nowhere to be seen, and he was right back to where he started. Again. This made what? His third complete walk around the landing?
Cursing under his breath, he turned to head back to his bike when his older brother’s best friend, Chase, came walking up, his arm around his pretty, blonde mate, Betsey.
“Hey, man, what are you doing out on a school night?” Chase grabbed him in a bear hug, hard hands patting leather.
He shrugged. “Just out wandering around.” He kept an eye on the crowd, afraid that if he stopped looking for Shelby, he might miss her.
“On the prowl?” Betsey teased.
“Chasing tail is more like it.” Chase kissed his mate upside the head.
Blaze snorted. The only tail he was interested in chasing seemed to have a talent for avoiding him. “When did you guys get here?”
“About thirty minutes ago,” Chase said.
“Did you catch Drake and Libby? They’re around here somewhere.”
“Yeah, we talked to them for a minute,” Chase said. “They went for a run.”
A muscle ticked in his cheek. He tamped down the sudden stab of jealousy that came unbidden. It was tough being the last guy left unmated within his close circle of friends, but he didn’t begrudge his brother having a mate. Drake loved Libby. He’d be lost without her.
“Hey, Blaze!”
He turned toward the feminine voice, hoping to find Shelby, but it was the flirty redhead from the post office. Dread curled through him. What was her name? Amanda? Miranda? Madeline? Tonight, instead of her too-tight uniform, she wore a tiny pair of cut-off jean shorts that showed off a pair of mile-long legs and the cheeks of her ass. Dark eyes glittering with mischief, she bit her lower lip and did a slow, sexy dance in the bed of her pickup truck. A blatant attempt to lure him over.
Chase lifted a black brow. “I hope you were looking for trouble.”
“Not tonight.” And definitely not with her.
Betsey chuckled. “If nothing else, you’ve got options.”
A frown creased his forehead. Not a chance. “Look, I’ll catch you guys later.” He gave Chase a fist bump.
“Sure thing, dog. See you at work tomorrow.”
Blaze headed toward his bike before the redhead could get any new ideas. The last thing he wanted was to hurt her feelings, but his mood was officially shot to shit. It sucked, but he had no one to blame but himself. Shelby hadn’t exactly promised to show up. She’d told him she might, so it wasn’t technically a date. What made it worse; she’d pulled this same dodge on him when he’d asked her to meet him for coffee. Next time, he’d make double damn sure to get her phone number.
Snarling in frustration, he stepped through the break in the trees where he’d parked his Harley and shed his leather jacket, tossing it over seat. His shirt was the next to go, then his boots, which he dropped on the ground beside his bike before he stripped out of his jeans.
The moonlight kissed his naked skin. He closed his eyes a moment and willed it to give him peace, despite the instinct that told him only his mate could ease his soul. He raked his hands through his hair then rolled his tense shoulders. Ready to run, he shifted into a large gray wolf and loped into the woods.
The trails were familiar to him, and he navigated them easily, a specific destination in his mind. The night winds rustled his thick fur, and he stopped a moment to lift his nose and sniff for signs that someone else might have walked along this particular deer trail. Wood smells pervaded, filling his nose with the pungent tang of pinesap, rocky soil, and prey. The only predator, man or wolf, he scented was himself. A good thing, because he’d become territorial about this patch of land and the woman who lived nearby.
Shelby.
Ahead, the trees thinned away, revealing a flat rock outcropping along a grassy ledge overlooking curvy, Lodge Pine Road. The wolf stood near the drop point and looked down the hillside, which sloped away in a carpet of meadow grass and wild flowers to a tiny cabin nestled securely in a pocket of fir trees on the opposite side of the valley.
Hunger burned in him, a knot of anxious fire that gnawed at him no matter what form he took. He had called to her many nights, and still she hadn’t come to him.
Wolf shifted back into man, and Blaze stood naked on the ledge. His beast wrested inside, and he narrowed his eyes, searching the homestead below for signs of his woman.
Her ghost white ’67 Mustang sat in the driveway. The cabin lights were out, even the single porch light that sometimes burned well into the day. No telling flicker of color from the TV through the gauze drapes covering her living room window, but she was there. No doubt about that. Her very nearness called to him, urged him to go to her, present himself as her mate and claim her.
Gruff laughter rumbled in his chest. What would she say if he did just that? She’d probably call him crazy and run like a frightened rabbit. No. He couldn’t risk scaring her away. She avoided him well enough already.
He rolled his neck to ease the taut muscles there. Never had he wanted a woman so much. Desire for her skirted a fine edge between torment and arousal, but his interest in her covered far more than just sex. He wanted to hear her voice and breathe in her scent. He wanted to know her secrets, her dreams.
He needed to be close to her. Hell, he needed her. She was on his mind every waking moment. He fantasized about running with her, kissing her, making love to her in the moonlight while her soft black hair spilled through his fingers like so much silk. Just imaging her looking at him with love shining in her eyes was enough to make his inner wolf struggle for dominance.
“Shelby.” Her name was a whispered prayer.
Usually women flocked to him, even the human females aware of who and what he was. But Shelby was different. She stayed to herself. If she had any close friends, he didn’t know who they were. He had tried repeatedly to draw her out, to clue her in that he wanted to spend time with her and get to know her better, but still she withdrew from him.
Blaze clutched his hands in his hair and bit back the urge to shift. He’d tried his best to keep a reasonable distance, but being away from her for days at a time was becoming unbearable. How much longer could he take this separation? Frustration built inside him until finally, he lifted his chin to the moon and let out a long, sorrowful howl, a desperate plea for mercy. The silver notes shivered on the air, beckoning Shelby to come to him, to save him, to ease his body and salve his heart.
* * * * **
For the full first chapter excerpt of Chasing Moonlight, visit the book page at Cobblestone Press! http://www.cobblestone-press.com/catalog/books/chasingmoonlight.htm#
Friday, May 15, 2009
Werewolf Assassins - Moonlight Romance
Moonlight and Shadows is being released today at Cobblestone Press!
What do you do when your greatest enemy is your one true mate?
Two Werekind packs teeter on the edge of war. Someone has killed the Istvaan pack alpha, and Sylvie won't rest until justice is served. As the new Grand Dame of the Istvaan pack, she is forced into a dangerous meeting with her greatest rival, and soon discovers her mate is none other than the Dartega alpha's right hand man - his assassin, Erik.
Seeing Erik face to face, Sylvie realizes pack politics will never allow her to claim him. But there are other more important things to do than mourn what can never be. There's a killer on the loose, someone she fears might be looking to take her out next.
There's just one problem. Erik Dartega has no intention of walking away. He's waited a long time to find his true mate, and Sylvie needs him.
Pack affiliation means nothing to a man protecting the woman he loves.Erik will stop at nothing to track down the killer. And when he finds him, there will be no mercy.
♥ ♥ ♥
Moonlight and Shadows is available today at http://www.cobblestone-press.com/ . I think the Cobblestone webite updates around noon or so. Here's the usual disclaimer: the book contains graphic sex, language, and violence. You must be 18+ to download.
Today I'm over at the Midnight Moon Cafe doing a giveaway for Moonlight and Shadows. One lucky person will win a Tshirt and flair bag. Just visit the MMC and post in the comments to be entered!
Good luck, and happy Friday! ~_^
What do you do when your greatest enemy is your one true mate?
Two Werekind packs teeter on the edge of war. Someone has killed the Istvaan pack alpha, and Sylvie won't rest until justice is served. As the new Grand Dame of the Istvaan pack, she is forced into a dangerous meeting with her greatest rival, and soon discovers her mate is none other than the Dartega alpha's right hand man - his assassin, Erik.
Seeing Erik face to face, Sylvie realizes pack politics will never allow her to claim him. But there are other more important things to do than mourn what can never be. There's a killer on the loose, someone she fears might be looking to take her out next.
There's just one problem. Erik Dartega has no intention of walking away. He's waited a long time to find his true mate, and Sylvie needs him.
Pack affiliation means nothing to a man protecting the woman he loves.Erik will stop at nothing to track down the killer. And when he finds him, there will be no mercy.
Moonlight and Shadows is available today at http://www.cobblestone-press.com/ . I think the Cobblestone webite updates around noon or so. Here's the usual disclaimer: the book contains graphic sex, language, and violence. You must be 18+ to download.
Today I'm over at the Midnight Moon Cafe doing a giveaway for Moonlight and Shadows. One lucky person will win a Tshirt and flair bag. Just visit the MMC and post in the comments to be entered!
Good luck, and happy Friday! ~_^
Labels: Cora Zane, Moonlight and Shadows, Werekind Series
Sunday, December 09, 2007
Lunar Mates Book 5: Christmas Moon
The fifth Lunar Mates book, Christmas Moon will be available on December 21, 2007 from Cobblestone Press! I'm very excited. This is the first menage I've written. :)
Blurb
Delilah is ready for a major life change and jumps on a job offer in the Appalachian Mountains with her best friend’s employer. The job is available shortly before Christmas and her new employers insist she move in time for the holidays. It’s a dream job with people she likes.
What they didn’t warn her about were the werewolves.
Cain and Abel Williamson take one look at her and know she’s perfect. Her beauty. Her ability to communicate with animals. They’ll do anything to make her theirs, to protect her. But can they save her from the danger stalking the woods?
Excerpt
"I don't think we have a choice, Jackson."
"Yeah, maybe. But I hate bringing in an outsider. It would be different if this woman was from our world."
Crossing his arms over his chest, Abel Williamson leaned against the wall and watched the verbal volleying between his Alpha and Beta. They'd been at it all
morning, and he resisted the urge to grin. As the pack's new Enforcer, witnessing the spectacle was becoming a regular occurrence.
The matter on the table was whether to hire an accountant for the pack or not. No doubt, they needed one. The real dilemma was where to get one. Such a
sensitive position would normally be filled by a were or a were’s mate. Unfortunately, there wasn’t anyone qualified for the job. So the search had been
extended, a few interviews conducted.
He was in charge of security, and his backgrounds checks had ruled out all the candidates. Save one.
"What do you think, Abel?"
About damned time they asked him. He met his Alpha's gaze and nodded his head.
"She'll do."
Oh yeah, she'd do all right. Probably would work out just fine as the new accountant, too. That was the least of his concerns though. Both men's gazes
sharpened on him. Damn. Something in his tone or his eyes or his bearing must have given away his intent. Maybe he should have stuck with Hunting.
Jackson grinned and leaned back in his chair. "It's like that, is it?"
Abel shrugged. What could he say?
"What does Cain think?" Billy asked.
"He hasn't met her, remember?"
How could he? His twin was still a Hunter. And in the end it didn't matter what his brother thought. You didn't pick your mate. Fate did that for you.
Jackson sighed. "This complicates things. First, she knows nothing about werewolves, and there's no way to bring her here without her discovering us. Then
when she gets here, it'll be to not one but two mates. You'll have to tread very carefully there."
He wasn't so sure. She didn't strike him as the spooks easily type. But he'd been wrong before and had the scars to prove it. Time would tell.
"Summer liked her, and Chloe's known her for years," Billy said. "I'd trust their instincts any day, and they both think she'll be a good addition to the
pack."
Jackson nodded again, and Abel recognized the look on his face—a cross between defiance and acceptance. He spoke to Billy. "Make the arrangements. She can
have the old Wilkes cabin." He cast a look at Abel. "Until the other arrangements are made."
Abel squashed his sense of triumph, his Hunter training still ingrained enough that he loathed to reveal his thoughts, his emotions. The conversation
continued, changed, went on to other business. He forced himself to stay still when his body wanted to fidget. To concentrate when his mind wanted to wander.
Finally, it was over, and he was free to leave.
Striding out of the house, he walked around back to the path that led to the old Wilkes' cabin. Billy had given him the key, and he shoved it in the rusty
lock, twisting it till the door gave way, and stepped inside. The rush of air disturbed what looked like a century's worth of dust, and he sneezed through
the swirling dervishes. This wouldn't do at all. As he walked through the small house, a plan formed in his mind, and by the time he left he was smiling.
Blurb
Delilah is ready for a major life change and jumps on a job offer in the Appalachian Mountains with her best friend’s employer. The job is available shortly before Christmas and her new employers insist she move in time for the holidays. It’s a dream job with people she likes.
What they didn’t warn her about were the werewolves.
Cain and Abel Williamson take one look at her and know she’s perfect. Her beauty. Her ability to communicate with animals. They’ll do anything to make her theirs, to protect her. But can they save her from the danger stalking the woods?
Excerpt
"I don't think we have a choice, Jackson."
"Yeah, maybe. But I hate bringing in an outsider. It would be different if this woman was from our world."
Crossing his arms over his chest, Abel Williamson leaned against the wall and watched the verbal volleying between his Alpha and Beta. They'd been at it all
morning, and he resisted the urge to grin. As the pack's new Enforcer, witnessing the spectacle was becoming a regular occurrence.
The matter on the table was whether to hire an accountant for the pack or not. No doubt, they needed one. The real dilemma was where to get one. Such a
sensitive position would normally be filled by a were or a were’s mate. Unfortunately, there wasn’t anyone qualified for the job. So the search had been
extended, a few interviews conducted.
He was in charge of security, and his backgrounds checks had ruled out all the candidates. Save one.
"What do you think, Abel?"
About damned time they asked him. He met his Alpha's gaze and nodded his head.
"She'll do."
Oh yeah, she'd do all right. Probably would work out just fine as the new accountant, too. That was the least of his concerns though. Both men's gazes
sharpened on him. Damn. Something in his tone or his eyes or his bearing must have given away his intent. Maybe he should have stuck with Hunting.
Jackson grinned and leaned back in his chair. "It's like that, is it?"
Abel shrugged. What could he say?
"What does Cain think?" Billy asked.
"He hasn't met her, remember?"
How could he? His twin was still a Hunter. And in the end it didn't matter what his brother thought. You didn't pick your mate. Fate did that for you.
Jackson sighed. "This complicates things. First, she knows nothing about werewolves, and there's no way to bring her here without her discovering us. Then
when she gets here, it'll be to not one but two mates. You'll have to tread very carefully there."
He wasn't so sure. She didn't strike him as the spooks easily type. But he'd been wrong before and had the scars to prove it. Time would tell.
"Summer liked her, and Chloe's known her for years," Billy said. "I'd trust their instincts any day, and they both think she'll be a good addition to the
pack."
Jackson nodded again, and Abel recognized the look on his face—a cross between defiance and acceptance. He spoke to Billy. "Make the arrangements. She can
have the old Wilkes cabin." He cast a look at Abel. "Until the other arrangements are made."
Abel squashed his sense of triumph, his Hunter training still ingrained enough that he loathed to reveal his thoughts, his emotions. The conversation
continued, changed, went on to other business. He forced himself to stay still when his body wanted to fidget. To concentrate when his mind wanted to wander.
Finally, it was over, and he was free to leave.
Striding out of the house, he walked around back to the path that led to the old Wilkes' cabin. Billy had given him the key, and he shoved it in the rusty
lock, twisting it till the door gave way, and stepped inside. The rush of air disturbed what looked like a century's worth of dust, and he sneezed through
the swirling dervishes. This wouldn't do at all. As he walked through the small house, a plan formed in his mind, and by the time he left he was smiling.
Friday, June 15, 2007
Dominant Territory - Coming to Cobblestone Press June 29th
Dominant Territory, coming to Cobblestone Press June 29th!
The moment Libby steps into the Moonlight Run with her girlfriends, she realizes they have made a serious mistake. One look at the clientele and she knows this is no place to have a ladies night out. The backwoods bar is isolated for a very good reason—they cater to local werewolves on the eve of the change.
Drake never thought himself the type to consider a human for a mate. Then Libby shows up and crosses over into Werekind territory. One look at her and his heart is lost. After one dance, he'll stop at nothing to claim her for his own...
Sneak Peek!
Read an excerpt from the book:
“So, this is where you live?” he asked as they tromped up the front steps.
“This is it.”
She pushed through the screen door and held it open for him, welcoming him into her home. His boots thudded on the hardwood floor. The house inside was cool and otherwise quiet, the only sound coming from the birds outside and the electric hum of the refrigerator at the far end. She latched the screen like always, and left the front door open to catch the natural light, which gleamed across the gray, hardwood floors like a fuzzy white stripe.
She stepped aside, letting Drake look around, unable to imagine what he must think or what he could possibly glean from the sparse decoration of her house. The front room had a couch and a television, and a few books on the built-in shelf along the back wall, but nothing else, nothing that hinted at her personality.
She kept the place tidy, but she didn’t own much, hadn’t really focused on fixing it up since moving in, which now that she had company, embarrassed her a little.
“It’s kind of bare,” she said apologetically, and he looked over at her, his gentle gaze warming her as it touched her face.
“You live alone,” he said, then glanced over to the mantle above the fireplace where she kept the pictures of her parents and her friends. “I wondered if you did. Is this your family?”
“That would be them.”
“They live around here?”
“No, not here in Silver. Not anymore. Once dad retired, they sold our old house on Potter Street and moved to Florida.” She sighed. “Looks like I’m the only straggler in the family still hanging around here.”
“I’m glad for your straggling.” With a teasing grin, he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close.
Excitement beat at her. She’d thought she’d never see him again, much less hold him. Now here they were in her den, no friends to scold her for wanting him, no one to stop her from claiming what she knew in her soul she wanted.
She reached out to smooth her hands over the flat lapels of his leather jacket, caressing him as she might’ve caressed his bare skin. He gathered her close, his lips moving expertly against hers in a sweet, yet sensual kiss. His tongue traced the inner edges of her lips then withdrew.
His smoky eyes turned serious. “I’ve thought of nothing but you since I first laid eyes on you.”
“At the bar,” she whispered in acknowledgement, but Drake shook his head.
“On the street with your friends. You were window shopping on the downtown strip that day. It was on the weekend; there was a bike rally going on in town.”
Libby gaped at him in surprise. She knew just what day he was talking about. “That was weeks ago.”
“I know.” He chuckled. “Oh, trust me, I know it…”
He kissed her then, a teasing kiss that left her lips too quickly and trailed to her throat, her collarbone. She sighed and let her eyes slip shut as she tilted her head back, allowing him access.She ran her fingers through his thick hair then trailed the edge of one palm across the faint stubble on his cheek. The abrasion felt amazing, incredibly intimate. He nuzzled her closer, his lips seeking her mouth once again. She kissed him, short, deep kisses that stirred her heart and made her hungry for more.
Her hands drifted lower, sought flesh under the shield of his leather jacket, but the black T-shirt he wore barred her exploration. She slipped her hands under the thin material, but it wasn’t enough. She looked up at him, kissing his chin as she reached up and tugged at the shoulder of his leather jacket. “Why don’t you take this off?”
He pulled back from her without a word, his eyes bright blue, heated, and dangerous looking as he shrugged out of the heavy coat and tossed it on the sofa. While she watched, his black T-shirt went the route of his coat. He grasped it at the hem and tugged it up over his head in one smooth move that revealed his beautifully tan skin and gorgeous ripped abs. She couldn’t stop herself. She lifted her hands and smoothed over the sides, his stomach. His muscles contracted as her fingers brushed through the narrow strip of golden hair trailing down into the top of his jeans, and an aching heaviness nestled low in her abdomen.
He took one of her hands and kissed it, briefly sucking the tip of one finger into his moist mouth. “I showed you mine, angel. Now it’s your turn.”
His expression dared her, tempted her. They were standing in front of the open doorway facing the street, which made his words seem all the more risqué. Exciting. Holding his gaze with hers, she tugged her T-shirt over her head and tossed it away.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Dominant Territory ties in with all my previous Werekind stories: Crossing Borders, and Bonding Experience, as well as my freebie short stories Heart on Fire, and Under a Midnight Moon.
Both of my free short stories are available for download in .pdf and .lit formats courtesy of the Midnight Moon Cafe Website!
The moment Libby steps into the Moonlight Run with her girlfriends, she realizes they have made a serious mistake. One look at the clientele and she knows this is no place to have a ladies night out. The backwoods bar is isolated for a very good reason—they cater to local werewolves on the eve of the change.
Drake never thought himself the type to consider a human for a mate. Then Libby shows up and crosses over into Werekind territory. One look at her and his heart is lost. After one dance, he'll stop at nothing to claim her for his own...
Sneak Peek!
Read an excerpt from the book:
“So, this is where you live?” he asked as they tromped up the front steps.
“This is it.”
She pushed through the screen door and held it open for him, welcoming him into her home. His boots thudded on the hardwood floor. The house inside was cool and otherwise quiet, the only sound coming from the birds outside and the electric hum of the refrigerator at the far end. She latched the screen like always, and left the front door open to catch the natural light, which gleamed across the gray, hardwood floors like a fuzzy white stripe.
She stepped aside, letting Drake look around, unable to imagine what he must think or what he could possibly glean from the sparse decoration of her house. The front room had a couch and a television, and a few books on the built-in shelf along the back wall, but nothing else, nothing that hinted at her personality.
She kept the place tidy, but she didn’t own much, hadn’t really focused on fixing it up since moving in, which now that she had company, embarrassed her a little.
“It’s kind of bare,” she said apologetically, and he looked over at her, his gentle gaze warming her as it touched her face.
“You live alone,” he said, then glanced over to the mantle above the fireplace where she kept the pictures of her parents and her friends. “I wondered if you did. Is this your family?”
“That would be them.”
“They live around here?”
“No, not here in Silver. Not anymore. Once dad retired, they sold our old house on Potter Street and moved to Florida.” She sighed. “Looks like I’m the only straggler in the family still hanging around here.”
“I’m glad for your straggling.” With a teasing grin, he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close.
Excitement beat at her. She’d thought she’d never see him again, much less hold him. Now here they were in her den, no friends to scold her for wanting him, no one to stop her from claiming what she knew in her soul she wanted.
She reached out to smooth her hands over the flat lapels of his leather jacket, caressing him as she might’ve caressed his bare skin. He gathered her close, his lips moving expertly against hers in a sweet, yet sensual kiss. His tongue traced the inner edges of her lips then withdrew.
His smoky eyes turned serious. “I’ve thought of nothing but you since I first laid eyes on you.”
“At the bar,” she whispered in acknowledgement, but Drake shook his head.
“On the street with your friends. You were window shopping on the downtown strip that day. It was on the weekend; there was a bike rally going on in town.”
Libby gaped at him in surprise. She knew just what day he was talking about. “That was weeks ago.”
“I know.” He chuckled. “Oh, trust me, I know it…”
He kissed her then, a teasing kiss that left her lips too quickly and trailed to her throat, her collarbone. She sighed and let her eyes slip shut as she tilted her head back, allowing him access.She ran her fingers through his thick hair then trailed the edge of one palm across the faint stubble on his cheek. The abrasion felt amazing, incredibly intimate. He nuzzled her closer, his lips seeking her mouth once again. She kissed him, short, deep kisses that stirred her heart and made her hungry for more.
Her hands drifted lower, sought flesh under the shield of his leather jacket, but the black T-shirt he wore barred her exploration. She slipped her hands under the thin material, but it wasn’t enough. She looked up at him, kissing his chin as she reached up and tugged at the shoulder of his leather jacket. “Why don’t you take this off?”
He pulled back from her without a word, his eyes bright blue, heated, and dangerous looking as he shrugged out of the heavy coat and tossed it on the sofa. While she watched, his black T-shirt went the route of his coat. He grasped it at the hem and tugged it up over his head in one smooth move that revealed his beautifully tan skin and gorgeous ripped abs. She couldn’t stop herself. She lifted her hands and smoothed over the sides, his stomach. His muscles contracted as her fingers brushed through the narrow strip of golden hair trailing down into the top of his jeans, and an aching heaviness nestled low in her abdomen.
He took one of her hands and kissed it, briefly sucking the tip of one finger into his moist mouth. “I showed you mine, angel. Now it’s your turn.”
His expression dared her, tempted her. They were standing in front of the open doorway facing the street, which made his words seem all the more risqué. Exciting. Holding his gaze with hers, she tugged her T-shirt over her head and tossed it away.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Dominant Territory ties in with all my previous Werekind stories: Crossing Borders, and Bonding Experience, as well as my freebie short stories Heart on Fire, and Under a Midnight Moon.
Both of my free short stories are available for download in .pdf and .lit formats courtesy of the Midnight Moon Cafe Website!
Labels: Cora Zane, Werekind Series
Friday, June 01, 2007
Hurricane Season is Released!
When his mate died, Quinn, the oldest Lassiter brother left home and became a park ranger in the Florida Panhandle. The distance and solitude suit him. After all, the less you care the less you hurt.
With a hurricane bearing down on the coast, his job is to secure and evacuate the park. As the storm worsens to a point where evacuation is no longer possible, he discovers Celeste injured and unconscious. The problem is Celeste died years ago. They take shelter from the storm to unravel the betrayal that split them apart, but first have to face the danger stalking Celeste.
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Saturday, May 26, 2007
Hurricane Season Contest and Sneak Peak!
Hurricane Iris isn’t the only danger lurking along the Florida coast. Can Quinn keep Celeste safe or is he destined to lose her a second time?
Want to win a free copy of my next release, Hurricane Season, and a $5 gift certificate from Cobblestone Press? Entering for the drawing is easy! Simply join my Google Group and email me the official start and end dates of the Atlantic/Gulf/Caribbean hurricane season at loribellehunt @ gmail.com (without the spaces). The contest will run May 28-June 25. Good luck!
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Hurricane Season
Releasing June 1 from Cobblestone Press
Celeste drove as fast as she safely could in the pelting rain. Hurricane Iris may have been sweeping up the Gulf, but this, the remnants of Hurricane Helga held fast in the Tennessee mountains, unwilling or unable to release the fury of the warm Gulf waters. Irritable and leery of the harsh weather, she rubbed a wadded up T-shirt against the fogging window. What was so important her stepfather insisted she drive from Atlanta to Chattanooga in what looked like Noah's Flood revisited? She sighed. It didn't matter. Her fear of storms was irrelevant in the face of family obligation and need. When the pack alpha called, everyone ran. Including their human sister, Celeste.
Thank God, she was close. She shuddered as small hail began to hit her window and wind rocked the car. How bad must it be down on the Gulf when these storms rolled onto shore? How did anyone stand to hang around and ride that out? She knew a lot of people did—they didn't call them hurricane parties for nothing. If a person could watch from a safe place she could see the appeal in it, had even had a taste of it herself. After all there were few forces on earth more massive, more awe inspiring than a hurricane.
The streetlight illuminating the turn off to her parent's appeared in the gloom, and she sighed in relief. Almost there. Almost safe back in the arms of her family. If she felt some small twinge for something else, some wistful longing of things past, it was only normal with this storm raging around her, right? Once, years ago, a coastal storm like this had brought her small Cessna down, and she'd barely survived the trip to ground. Life hadn't been the same since.
Right. Get over it already, Celeste. If wishes were fishes her mother would say, and she'd be right. All the wishes in the world hadn't done her any good then; it certainly wouldn't change her reality now. She turned down her street and watched for the house lights in the distance. When they appeared she released a pent up sigh of tension, but it was quickly followed by anxiety. What was so important she had to come out now? Had to drive two hours in this nightmare?
Her gaze swept the driveway when she pulled in, mentally noting which car belonged to whom. Her half-brothers, her stepbrothers. The trucks, the SUV's, the odd little compact hybrid that would always stand out. No clan members. Whatever the big ass hurry was, it really was family business.
She grumbled as she parked. They could have at least left her a spot near the door.
Want to win a free copy of my next release, Hurricane Season, and a $5 gift certificate from Cobblestone Press? Entering for the drawing is easy! Simply join my Google Group and email me the official start and end dates of the Atlantic/Gulf/Caribbean hurricane season at loribellehunt @ gmail.com (without the spaces). The contest will run May 28-June 25. Good luck!
Hurricane Season
Releasing June 1 from Cobblestone Press
Celeste drove as fast as she safely could in the pelting rain. Hurricane Iris may have been sweeping up the Gulf, but this, the remnants of Hurricane Helga held fast in the Tennessee mountains, unwilling or unable to release the fury of the warm Gulf waters. Irritable and leery of the harsh weather, she rubbed a wadded up T-shirt against the fogging window. What was so important her stepfather insisted she drive from Atlanta to Chattanooga in what looked like Noah's Flood revisited? She sighed. It didn't matter. Her fear of storms was irrelevant in the face of family obligation and need. When the pack alpha called, everyone ran. Including their human sister, Celeste.
Thank God, she was close. She shuddered as small hail began to hit her window and wind rocked the car. How bad must it be down on the Gulf when these storms rolled onto shore? How did anyone stand to hang around and ride that out? She knew a lot of people did—they didn't call them hurricane parties for nothing. If a person could watch from a safe place she could see the appeal in it, had even had a taste of it herself. After all there were few forces on earth more massive, more awe inspiring than a hurricane.
The streetlight illuminating the turn off to her parent's appeared in the gloom, and she sighed in relief. Almost there. Almost safe back in the arms of her family. If she felt some small twinge for something else, some wistful longing of things past, it was only normal with this storm raging around her, right? Once, years ago, a coastal storm like this had brought her small Cessna down, and she'd barely survived the trip to ground. Life hadn't been the same since.
Right. Get over it already, Celeste. If wishes were fishes her mother would say, and she'd be right. All the wishes in the world hadn't done her any good then; it certainly wouldn't change her reality now. She turned down her street and watched for the house lights in the distance. When they appeared she released a pent up sigh of tension, but it was quickly followed by anxiety. What was so important she had to come out now? Had to drive two hours in this nightmare?
Her gaze swept the driveway when she pulled in, mentally noting which car belonged to whom. Her half-brothers, her stepbrothers. The trucks, the SUV's, the odd little compact hybrid that would always stand out. No clan members. Whatever the big ass hurry was, it really was family business.
She grumbled as she parked. They could have at least left her a spot near the door.