Fabulous Friday Reads: Footwear and Fantasy
Let’s kick off this lovely weekend with Footwear and Fantasy, a wonderfully sexy take on the fairy tale “The Elves and the Shoemaker” from J.J. Lore, now available from Evernight Publishing and other purveyors of fine erotic romance. Take it away, J.J.!
Hanna Bregot is struggling to make a go of her ailing father’s cobbler shop, but the residents of her town regard a woman shoemaker as an oddity. At the end of the day, she can’t even summon the energy to repair her tattered slippers, let alone earn enough to feed herself or her cat.
Elf companions Lear and Garrin like to mingle among humans, but always in disguise. When they notice a poor cobbler crying over her shoes one evening, they immediately decide to intervene and give her a gift in the hopes of lifting her spirits.
What starts out as simple kindness soon morphs into a sensual game the three want to play forever. But when the Queen of the Elves discovers their love, it becomes a matter of magic versus mundane in a life or death decision.
Story Excerpt
A gasping noise interrupted his thoughts and he and Lear turned toward the sound, alert to any threat. Rather than facing an intruding thief, instead they confronted a blinking Hanna crouched on the stairs. She was clad in a thin chemise, her bare feet and ankles peeping out from under the frayed hem as she tottered on an upper step, her thin hand grasping the rail. Her pink lips parted wordlessly as she glanced between the two of them. For a long moment, Garrin found himself wondering what she saw. Neither he nor his mate had bothered to assume a human veil, so she was now seeing elven men for what had to be the first time in her life. He knew he was ruggedly built by his race’s standards, where Lear aligned more closely to the slim, lithe ideal. They both had brown hair grown long and pulled back in a hank. His was thick and dark while Lear’s was more auburn and smooth. Of course, their pointed ears and sharper features were likely the first things she’d notice, alerting her to the presence of magical beings in her shop.
“You’re…you’re…” Hanna’s soft voice trembled and before he realized what he was about, Garrin found himself rising, ready to assist. Her blue eyes widened as she took him in and her eyelids fluttered. Like a felled sapling she slumped, crumpling on the stairs in a swoon. She would have tumbled down the last remaining few if he hadn’t gathered her up in his arms. Her warm weight was a welcome burden and he allowed himself the pleasure of looking over her body, taking in the swells of her breasts pressing against the thin fabric of her gown, the curved collarbone and hollow at the base of her throat revealed by the garment’s disarray. Her dark brown lashes fluttered against her pale skin as she roused and he couldn’t help but draw in a deep breath to capture her sweet, musky scent while he could.
Lear crouched at her side, running his fingers along the soft skin of her wrist, his gaze never leaving her face.
“Should we return her to bed, do you think?” Garrin tried to keep his voice low so as to not startle her, but she flinched and blinked her eyes instead. Her gaze flew to his, her deep blue eyes wide with confusion as she pressed her hands to his chest as if to push away. He tightened his grip instinctively, something about their physical closeness pulling him to her in an immediate and primal way. Her muscles stiffened in response and at that slight friction against his body, his prong thrummed to life, affirming that indeed he wished to have this woman.
“What are you? Why are you in my shop?” Her voice quavered and her eyes brightened with imminent tears. “Please don’t hurt me.”
Garrin took in an aghast breath. She was frightened of them? To be fair, they were trespassing, but they were attempting to do a good deed and had certainly never contemplated sneaking up to observe her as she slept. Or at least he hadn’t until the thought occurred.
“We won’t hurt you.” Lear’s voice went quiet and soothing, but the woman shook her head in denial. Her limbs quivered as if she longed to escape.
“We aimed to help you, mistress, only that.” Garrin knew that wasn’t quite the whole truth but better to reassure her than reveal he and his mate harbored lustful thoughts toward her. To ease her stress he invoked a small glamour over her, a mere shadow of reassurance and charm.
“But…but…what are you? You aren’t like any men I’ve seen before. Are you from one of the northern kingdoms?” Hanna blinked and attempted to sit up, somehow managing to position herself on Garrin’s lap. His thickened prong approved of the soft buttocks pressed to it. Her expression was sleep softened and gentle, not tense and frightened like before.
“In a manner of speaking,” Lear agreed with her but went still as she reached out one work-worn hand to almost touch the flared point of his ear.
“Was that an injury? How could that be? You both have them.” Her tone went from speculative to confused. Her whole body flinched against his, and Garrin longed for her to move like that when he had his thick prong pressed tight inside her body. However, it seemed there were quite a few impediments to overcome before that scenario would come to pass.
“You aren’t human, are you?” Now she did pull away in earnest, somehow able to overcome the little spell he’d sent her way.
Lear reached out to her cheek and whispered something under his breath and she quieted again, gently shaking her head even as she subsided against Garrin’s shoulder.
“We’re elves.” Garrin believed direct was best, especially when she was somewhat impaired by magic. She moaned low in her throat and Lear again reached for her, smoothing his fingers along her wrists.
“But you don’t exist. The old stories are mere fables and tales. The devil has pointed ears like yours. Or a demon. The cleric says minions of hell can come to steal us away underground where you use us cruelly.”
Garrin wondered what the cleric’s reaction would be if an orc shambled through his church in the middle of a service, or dwarves tunneled out of the vestry floor. As always, the legends and tales of humans cast magical folk as the enemy and blamed them for all the troubles that befell them.
“We aren’t devils or even particularly mean.” Lear smiled at her and she tentatively returned it. How much of her agreeability was due to genuine feeling or the glamour, Garrin couldn’t guess, but the main point was she was calm. “Merely different.”
Hanna raised her hands in the air and shifted her legs, clearly attempting to rise, but Garrin wanted to hold her fast. She might stumble and he would not care to see her injure herself.
“You need to let me go. You need to leave my home,” she declared as she wrenched herself free and tottered between them. Her gaze fell on the boots gleaming like night, and her eyes widened again. “What…are those for me?”
“Yes, Mistress Hanna.” Lear stood from his crouch and reached for the boots, holding them out as the silken laces trailed down.
“This defies all explanation. Mythical creatures in my shop, making me beautiful things.” Hanna’s voice trailed off as she accepted the boots and ran her fingertips along the stitched seams, her hair loosening from the plait down her back. “I should be afraid, screaming for the constable, but I’m not. Why?”
Garrin cleared his throat, sure he didn’t want to tell her the reason.
“We mean you no harm, so there’s no need to be afraid.” Lear nodded encouragingly at her. “Would you care to try them on?”
He knelt at her feet, a supplicant searching for her approval. Abandoning all pretense of aloofness, Garrin joined him, needing to touch her again. He no longer cared about the potentially grave consequences of interacting with her. He craved this sweet-smelling human as he craved wooded glens and waterfalls.
Where to Buy
Evernight Publishing
Amazon
All Romance eBooks
BookStrand
About J.J. Lore
J. Lore needs three things; strong, black coffee, time to write, and…well…you can guess the third. When she isn’t inventing fantastical tales filled with passionate people, she’s shaking sriracha on whatever she’s eating or reading about the Justinian plague. For updates on her bestselling erotic romance releases, visit her at http://mllesnarratif.com/j-j-lore/ or follow on Twitter @JJLore1.
Mid Week Tease: Bully Boys #MWTease #MidWeekTease
Hello, darlings! Today’s teaser comes straight from Much Humping Upon the Moors, er, Victorian England, and is part of my short story “Bully Boys.” In it, mild-mannered solicitor Arthur Finter takes an ill-advised short cut through an alley and comes face to snout with a gorgeous Alpha shifter who announces that Arthur is his mate, much to the solicitor’s shock. What happens then? You’ll just have to buy the anthology when it comes out from Evernight!
Enjoy, and make sure to hit the list after the teaser to see other great Mid Week Teases!
When Arthur awoke, he was tucked up in bed. The awful scene in the alley drifted through his memory, dim now from sleep. It was just a nightmare. Oh, thank goodness.
He tried to turn over, only to be stopped as his arms jerked unexpectedly against restraints.
His eyes flew open. He was in a small bedroom lit only by a coal fire in a blackened grate. A row of hooks on the far wall held coats and a collection of what Arthur assumed were shirts, and an armoire hulked in the corner. A plain wooden table stood next to the bed, bare of anything except a candlestick with an unlit candle.
Looking up, he saw a length of hemp rope had been tied around his right wrist and woven with very little slack through tarnished brass that was not his own plain white enameled headboard. The other end of the rope had been attached to his left wrist, effectively pinning his arms wide.
He flexed his feet and found that his legs were bound as well, with the same amount of slack given to his arms. To make matters worse, someone had removed his clothes before tying him to the bed and covering him with a thin blanket.
“Help!” he shouted. “Please, I need help!”
The door opened, and the handsome werebeast from the alley sauntered in, carrying a wash bowl and water jug. He’d taken the time to rinse the blood from his face and slick his hair back, and an old, threadbare towel hung casually over one shoulder. “Someone’s up, I see,” he said in a strong Northern accent.
Arthur felt his belly quiver, but gave the man his best glower. “Untie me immediately, sir!”
“Can’t do that. At least, not just yet.” The man approached the bed, giving him an appreciative look. Arthur belatedly remembered his state, and was grateful for the cheap blanket that protected his modesty. “I suppose you want to know why you’re here.”
“Indeed I do,” Arthur declared, hoping he sounded braver than he felt. “I am a solicitor, sir, and if you do not untie me this moment you will find yourself in grave trouble with the law.”
The man shrugged. “Won’t be the first time. Doubt it’ll be the last.” He moved to the side of the bed where the table stood and deposited the jug and bowl on it, then sat down on the mattress. That blue gaze trailed over him dispassionately, but there was as flicker of something else as well, something that tugged at Arthur’s senses and caused his breath to come faster.
The man reached out and grabbed the edge of the blanket, dragging it down to just below Arthur’s waist. The solicitor flinched as the cool air of the room hit his skin, causing his nipples to pebble up in a most embarrassing way.
“You’re trim. I like that in a bloke,” the man said conversationally. “Don’t spend all of your time on your arse, do you?”
Arthur gaped at the impropriety. “I — how — that’s none of your business!”
“Oh, but it is my business.” His captor sounded oddly amused about that. “Everything about you, Mr. Arthur Finter, is my business. Now that we’re to be mates and all.”
The bizarre comment would have made Arthur laugh in other circumstances. “If you mean we’re to be friends, sir, I can assure you that I feel no such friendship with anyone who ties me to a bed and terrorizes me in such a manner.”
The man tilted his head to one side, and Arthur was forcibly reminded of his other shape. “You’re tied to my bed to make sure you don’t run away,” his captor said. “I know you saw what happened in the alley, and I’ll explain it in good time. As for terrorizing you, it wasn’t what I had in mind for us tonight.”
He reached out and touched one of the tawny nubs on Arthur’s chest, tracing a tiny circle on it. The caress caused an indecent zing of pleasure to arrow down to the solicitor’s groin.
“Thought so,” the man said in satisfaction. “You yearn for the touch of a man, Mr. Finter. I’ll be that man for you tonight and ever after. We’re mates, you and me.”
“M—” The other, more marital meaning of the word burst in on him, the calumny he’d hoped never to hear addressed to himself. “Are you implying that I’m a, a filthy sodomite?”
“Implying?” His captor laughed shortly. “I’m saying it full out. You’re as queer as I am.”
“That is a foul lie!”
“The bond don’t make mistakes,” the man said, caressing Arthur’s nipple again and causing more of those horribly delicious sensations. “It chose you because you wanted a man in your bed, between your thighs, doing unholy things to you.” He smiled, then, straight white teeth unlike anything Arthur had ever seen before among the London poor, or its upper classes for that matter. “So I’ll tup you tonight, and put my mark on you. I’ll give you the pleasure you’ve craved for so long. Then you’ll understand.”
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For those who like flair
My first batch of RT2015 swag has arrived, and I am VERY pleased with these 1.5″ buttons. Next up will be magnets and pens, plus a few t-shirts for interested folk, muwahahahaha…
Mid Week Tease: Deep Water #MWTease #MidWeekTease
Hello, darlings! This will be the last teaser from Book Three of my Olympic Cove series, Deep Water, so I decided to go out on a high note with a scorching three-way between Poseidon, Amphitrite and Griffin. No, don’t thank me — I live to serve. 😀
Enjoy, and make sure to hit the list after the teaser to see other great Mid Week Teases!
Late afternoon found the three of them naked and in bed, languidly kissing and touching. When Poseidon nudged Amphitrite’s thighs apart and slid between them she was more than ready, sighing happily as she worked to take all of him in. He started a slow, deliberate stroke, making minute adjustments each time until he found the angle that made her gasp in pleasure.
Griffin stretched out beside her, kissing and nibbling her neck while he played with Poseidon’s flexing ass. “Christ, I love watching you two,” he said, brown eyes glowing with desire.
“I know,” she gasped, abruptly breathless after a deep thrust. Griffin’s cock pressed against her hip and she slid her hand down between their bodies, just managing to wrap her fingers around him and stroke the tip. “I want you next.”
Poseidon chuckled, pausing in mid-stroke to kiss her chin. “Not if I wear you out first, beloved.”
She grinned up at her husband, flexing her inner muscles and wringing a moan out of him. “That’s the lovely thing about being female,” she said. “I’m multi-orgasmic. You’re going to have to make an effort to wear me out.”
Poseidon gave Griffin one of those amused male looks. “I do believe we’ve been challenged,” he said.
“Challenge accepted,” Griffin said, gleeful.
To Amphitrite’s delight they proceeded to do wonderfully wicked things to every erogenous zone on her body that they could find, and a few new ones that she didn’t even know she had. She had two orgasms before Poseidon finally came with a lovely groan. He switched places with Griffin, who was currently teasing her with a slow, shallow stroke while Poseidon used his mouth to map every inch of her torso.
“Wait, I’ve got an idea.” Griffin pulled out and shifted until he was sitting back on his heels. Sliding his hands under her thighs, he pulled her up into his lap until her head and shoulders were the only parts still resting on the mattress. He slid back inside her, hands splayed over her hipbones as he started the same shallow thrust. In this position, however, it rubbed directly against that lovely spot behind her pubic bone. “How’s that, love?”
Pleasure burned through her, sharp and pure. “Don’t stop.”
“Wasn’t planning on it.”
“Mm, perfect.” Poseidon turned, getting on his knees and kissing his way down her stomach. The soft prickle of his beard added an additional layer of teasing sensation. She felt him kiss the curls on her pubic mound, and then his tongue lapped at the junction where Griffin entered her, finding her clit and going to work on it with ravenous eagerness. She wasn’t sure what turned her on more, that her formerly staid husband was eating her out with such abandon or that he was tasting both Griffin and her while he did it.
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No, really, Deep Water is finished
And I’m editing it, honest, and I’m also working on Behind the Iron Cross. It’s just that I’m also writing a short story for Evernight’s latest anthology call (bad boy alpha shifters, woohoo!), and it’s requiring a bit of research because, erm, it takes place in Victorian London. And ties into that VicLondon series I wanted to do with the cop, the vampire, and the werewolf. And is going to take up every word of the 10K word limit.
Or as Ramón puts it, I enjoy creating rods for my own back. I just wanted to do something a little different from Olympic Cove, and I’d already had a vaguely defined couple in mind so when I read the antho guidelines they popped into my head and announced that they lived in 1878 London and, oh, by the way, they’re part of The Other London (the paranormal one) that’s been floating around in the back of my head for eighteen months or so and that won’t be a problem, will it?
*sigh* Short story has a working title of “Bully Boys” and I should have it finished by Wednesday, with luck and a strong south wind.
Nicola’s Sunday Shoutout: Kacey Hammell
Today’s Sunday Shoutout goes to Kacey Hammell, whose awesome new book, Guarding Midnight (Canadian Muscle 1) is now out from Evernight and other purveyors of fine erotic romance. Here are a few things that people are saying about Guarding Midnight:
“…doesn’t disappoint…characters, plot and storyline was amazing, overall this was an easy contemporary romance that will have some enjoying on how the story unfolds.” ~ 5 Stars from Beckey, In the Pages of a Good Book
“…an amazing book…background story was amazing and the main character and background characters, I fell in love with them right away. I couldn’t put this book down.” ~ 5 Stars from Stephanie, Goodreads
No one knows sacrifice better than former Army Sergeant Gavin Bennett. He’s witnessed firsthand the emotional, physical and mental toll of being caught in the crossfire. Being a bouncer-slash-bodyguard may not be Gavin’s dream job, but he’s willing to do just about anything to help out family. When Gavin reports for his first day of work, he quickly discovers a woman who threatens to crack his legendary cool.
Shree Walker is on the run from a dark past she tried to shut away. Battered and broken, a happily ever after doesn’t exist for her. Ready to start fresh with a new life in a new city, she is happy dancing at the Vixen Club. She’d be even happier without the presence of the prickly new bouncer who won’t let anyone or anything get past his carefully guarded defenses. He’s a distraction she doesn’t need. And a temptation she can’t resist.
When Shree is kidnapped by the criminal mastermind hell-bent on taking the club at any cost, Gavin has to make a decision. Hold tight and continue to keep Shree at arm’s length. Or break down his walls and take a chance on something more powerful than them both: Love.
Story Excerpt
Gavin strode to the bar at the top end of the room. Favoring his leg, he eased onto a stool and faced the stage. Two fairly tall, slender women stretched out their calves and backs. Leotards barely covered their ass-cheeks.
A man could get used to seeing such fine flesh every day.
Lucky for him, he’d been roped into being here. He’d make the most of the rash decision by appreciating the view.
The music picked up tempo, filling the area with rapid rhythms and a lot of bass.
Rock beats from a single on the last Nickelback album shook the floor. He couldn’t keep from tapping against the bar. His Army regimen played the band’s albums continuously. Hell, they were all Canadian and had to support home-country talent.
A blur of red and black rushing out on stage caught his attention. A woman skulked along at the front of the stage, bending, twirling, and angling her hot, sexy bod. She would no doubt capture every man’s attention when she performed.
Gavin swallowed hard, his eyes peeled to the sexy display in front of him.
Red sports bra and tight spandex shorts barely contained her curvy, tanned body dancing at lightning speed around the stage. Long, toned legs stretched, and her body twirled the pole as if it was made for her. Though she wore barely-there spandex, she didn’t give off a stripper vibe. Her thighs clung to the metal, showing off strong muscles. Without moving her legs from the pole, she let go with her hands and planted them firmly on the floor. She moved like a worm as she stayed suspended, the pole between her legs as her arms held her up. Her tight, large breasts were so tempting. His mouth watered.
The woman was skilled and in-tune with her body and with what she had to offer.
And boy, if she didn’t have a lot to offer.
Her breasts were definitely more than a handful, which was just how he liked them. Small, medium, large, and bountiful…as long as he could stick his dick in between the mounds and fuck them till his load burst all over a woman’s chin, lips, chest, neck, and in her hair. He loved to see his pleasure all over a woman.
His mouth watered because of the seductive goddess on stage.
Her long, dark, wavy hair clung to her face and shoulders, spinning around as much as she did. Bends, kicks, gymnast moves…he was impressed.
With a flick of her hair, she turned and glanced back over her shoulder, her hips swaying to the distinct bass. Facing the empty seats, she covered the stage, her movements skilled and quick. He watched, transfixed at the many steps, and could only guess at the training this woman needed to have in order to make it look so easy.
As the song ended, she bent at the waist, breathing deep. Her gaze caught on his.
He drew in a deep breath.
Damn, those dark depths laser-focused on his, holding him in place. Desire coursed through him, pulling at him to forget his reason for being here and find out more about her.
Beautiful. He loved everything about her gorgeous face. From her high cheek bones to the perfectly shaped lips that looked luscious and tasty from where he sat. And what he wouldn’t give to claim the first taste. Of those lips and anywhere else from head to toe.
Heavy pulses drew him from his thoughts and the beauty walked off the stage.
He squelched the desire to follow her. Sighing, he cursed himself. Getting a hard-on for some strange chick wasn’t what he’d signed up for by coming here. He had to keep his head in the game. But the image of her bent over while he drove into her over and over again burned in his mind. He adjusted himself behind the zipper of his jeans.
Where To Buy
Evernight Publishing
Amazon
All Romance eBooks
Bookstrand
About Kacey Hammell
Canadian-born author Kacey Hammell is definitely a book-a-holic. A romance reader from a young age, she fell in love with happily ever afters. These days, as a multi-published erotic romance author, she enjoys adding a lot of heat, sass, and emotion to the many genres she writes.
A mom of three, Kacey has made certain each of her children know the value of the written word and the adventures they could escape on by becoming book-a-holics in their own right. She lives her own happily ever after with her perfect hero in Ontario, Canada, and is a true romantic at heart.
Where to find Kacey Hammell
Website
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Fabulous Friday Reads: Grayscale
Let’s kick off this lovely Easter weekend with the always awesome Rebecca Brochu and her sizzling new erotic romance Grayscale, now available from Evernight Publishing and other purveyors of fine erotic romance. Take it away, Rebecca!
As a Chroma agent, one of the elite operatives for the Spectrum Intelligence Agency, Jonah Gray was skilled enough to handle most anything that came his way. If not, Jonah knew he could always rely on his handler, the clever Mr. Fox, to pull him through. Drawn to the seductive voice and commanding strength of the man on the other end of the line, Jonah wavers between his attraction to his handler and the knowledge that handlers and operatives are never supposed to meet.
Then a mission goes horribly wrong and Jonah finds himself on the wrong end of a kill order. With Jonah on the run both handler and operative are desperate to finally meet so they can face this new threat head on. Together they struggle to discover who wants Jonah dead while they finally take the opportunity to embrace the passion that has always simmered between them.
Story Excerpt
“Are your eyes closed?” Silas asked him quieter than before, softer and gentler.
“Yes, Sir.” Jonah felt vulnerable in that moment, in a way he thought he’d left behind a long time ago. To distract himself a bit he let his hands come down to rest on his stomach, let his fingers slide gently over the skin there, but no lower. He didn’t have permission for that yet, after all.
“I’ve got you,” Silas promised almost as if he could tell what Jonah was feeling without even being able to see him. “You’re safe with me remember? You can relax and trust me Jonah. You can trust me to keep you safe, to tell you what to do. You can trust me with all of that. With all of you.”
“I know. I do.” Jonah fought back the swell of emotions in his chest as the mixture of devotion and affection that he always felt towards Silas threatened to burst free. Slowly, deliberately, he inhaled again. Exhaled. Inhaled, exhaled, repeated it until he felt himself even out, felt himself center.
“Good.” Silas said it roughly, voice ragged in a way that let Jonah know just how much his admittance meant to Silas. “I wish I could see you right now. You’re gorgeous Jonah, you know that don’t you? I bet you’re beautiful the way you are right now, laid back on that bed with your eyes closed, cock hard and body open. I bet you’re perfect. I’ve always thought you would be. Ever since the first time I saw you.”
Jonah’s eyes flew open in stunned surprise before he slammed them shut again. Silas’s voice was ragged but honest, deep and thick with that hot, honey drawl that Jonah loved so much.
“You’ve seen me?” The thought that Silas had seen him, knew what he looked like, and so obviously approved, made Jonah feel slightly giddy with a mixture of pride and relief.
“Oh yes.” Silas sounded amused for a moment then. “I’ve seen you many times Jonah. I am your handler after all. I’ve read your file, seen videos. Sometimes I watch you on the security cameras on missions. You’re a thing of beauty, Jonah. All lethal grace and power that draws the eye. Even when you’re off mission, even when you’re wandering around whatever city or town you decide to spend your time in, you’re still fascinating. Captivating.”
“And do I?” Jonah couldn’t help but ask. He needed to know, burned to know for certain whether or not the fascination he felt was mutual. “Do I captivate you?”
“Completely,” Silas admitted quietly and with that sort of brutal honesty in his voice that Jonah adored.
Where to Buy
Evernight Publishing
Amazon
All Romance eBooks
BookStrand
About Rebecca Brochu
Rebecca is proud to say that she lives in a small town in North Carolina, surrounded by fields and fresh air. Naturally she spends most of her days crouched in front of a keyboard or curled up with a book.
As an avid video game and anime enthusiast, it is an understatement to say that she has a vivid imagination. With a collection of games, dvd’s, and books that number too many to count she is often neck deep in some fantasy world.
She is also the proud owner of two haughty cats and one encouraging dog.
Where to find Rebecca Brochu
Mid Week Tease: Deep Water #MWTease #MidWeekTease
Hello, darlings! Let’s get over Hump Day with a teaser from Book Three of my Olympic Cove series, Deep Water. After all the sex of the last few weeks, let’s have an action scene where Poseidon and his sons are taking on some mutated whales while Griffin and Amphitrite watch. Of course, things aren’t going to stay that simple.
Enjoy, and make sure to hit the list after the teaser to see other great Mid Week Teases!
Griffin could feel his jaw muscles bunch as he watched Poseidon face down and kill the mutated whale. The thought of his mate so near to something that huge terrified him on a primal level.
“Does he have to get that close?” he asked Amphitrite. “Can’t he kill them from a distance?”
“Yes, but that takes more effort on his part, and its messy,” she said, her hands clenched around around the chariot’s reins. “This way, the deaths are quick and clean. He doesn’t want them to suffer.” Her tone made it clear that she’d be willing to live with more suffering if it improved Poseidon’s safety. Griffin agreed wholeheartedly with her.
Grimacing, Amphitrite clucked at the seahorses. “Come on, we have a job to do.”
Under her guidance Sthenios and Skylla pulled the chariot around to the area where the right whale had first appeared. Griffin was able to adjust his visor until he could see turbulence patterns in the water. “Looks like some massive displacement there.”
“Yes. That whale was definitely not alone. So where are the others?” With a flick of the reins she guided the seahorses lower towards the ocean floor. “There should be—”
Something massive slammed into the bottom of the chariot, shoving them upwards. Cursing, Griffin clung to the chariot’s rim while Amphitrite fought to keep control of the vehicle. The seahorses screamed in rage, surging forward and pulling them along. He risked a look back and almost pissed himself when he saw a yawning mouth lined with saw-like teeth snapping closed just inches from the back of the chariot.
Amphitrite yelled something in Ancient Greek to the seahorses, and they lunged forward. Griffin held on, wishing desperately that chariots came equipped with safety belts as Sthenios and Skylla raced away from the second whale. He looked back again and noticed to his relief that they were pulling ahead of the beast.
Then he spotted something behind the bullish, mottled head. Oh, my God. That’s impossible.
There was no choice. He had to get a closer look. “Can you get around to its side?” he yelled to Amphitrite. “I need to look at its flippers.”
The Nereid gave him an “Are you shitting me?” glance but hauled on the reins. Sthenios and Skylla abruptly slewed to the right in a tight turn, flinging Griffin bruisingly hard against the side of the chariot. Holding on like grim death, he stared back at the whale, tracing along the creature’s midline to where its flippers should have been. Fuck. I was right.
“Get us out of here!” he yelled.
“I’m trying to!” Amphitrite yelled back. They had dropped down to mere feet above the ocean floor now, racing along it with the right whale in pursuit. The seahorses arrowed through the dark water, swerving through rocky outcroppings and seaweed stands like rats running through a memorized maze, but the whale stayed with them.
The grim expression on Amphitrite’s face made it clear she knew about their tail. She steered the chariot down even further, angling them towards a jagged outcropping of coral growth. “Hang on!”
Griffin did, gut going cold in horror as they headed straight for the hill-like outcropping. At the last moment the white seahorses plunged through an opening that he hadn’t even seen. It was barely wide enough for them and the chariot followed with a horrible grinding noise, shattered bits of rock dancing in its wake.
Panting, Griffin stared up at the underside of a covered coral lagoon. The lacy structure appeared to be solid from the outside, but allowed dim light and water to flow freely through it.
A loud crack sounded behind them. He turned and saw the right whale’s snout pulling back from a hole it had broken in the coral. “Can it get in here?”
“With enough time, yes,” Amphitrite said, handing him the reins. “Here.”
“What are you doing?”
She plucked her trident from its holder, glaring at the tines. They collapsed inward, forming a single vicious-looking barbed blade. “I’m going to kill it.”
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Well, that was unexpected
It’s funny, the things that writing can dredge out of your subconscious. I was sitting there yesterday afternoon working on character outlines for Behind the Iron Cross and listening to The Best of Sade to block out the sound of Ramón chewing on a scone in the kitchen (I love him dearly but my, that man can wake the dead when he eats).
About Sade: I’ve loved their music since I first heard “Smooth Operator” in 1984, and I’ve always associated the song with an individual I met when I was a young and innocent flower (you have my apologies for my vagueness, but I’ve since learned that this individual is somewhat litigious and I don’t wish to poke the bear). Not only did he pretty much crystallize my physical preferences in men, he also carbonated my hormones so badly that I don’t think I shared more than 20 words with him in my lifetime. I literally couldn’t talk to him; the speech center of my brain would go into vapor lock and I’d just stand there blinking at him even as the rest of my brain was screaming at me to do something, you idiot! I’m quite sure he wondered what the hell was wrong with me, but that’s neither here nor there.
So there I was, working on Kat’s backstory and trying to figure out where and how a nice society girl in the late 1910s would get Dominatrix training (a friendly madam-cum-Dominatrix in Paris, as it turns out), listening with half an ear to Sade croon, “Coast to coast, LA to Chicago, Western male,” and suddenly this individual popped into mind while I was thinking of my baby Domme.
And I had the most astounding epiphany about why I had such a hard time talking to him — my young, innocent flower of a self had no idea that she really, really, REALLY wanted to do delightfully debauched things to this smooth operator. Which was somewhat disconcerting to figure out *mumble mumble* years later, but damn, it gave me the key to Kat’s backstory. I swear, writing is way better than having a therapist!
Marvelous Monday Reads: Ruled
Happy Monday, folks! Let’s say goodbye to March with J.J. Lore’s Ruled, the brilliant new entry in Evernight Publishing’s Planet Alpha series, now available from Evernight and other online retailers of erotic romance. Enjoy!
While on a clandestine visit to Earth, Prince Edem of Alpha and his bondmate Mallet by chance meet a humble cook who intrigues them. The impulsive prince feels a brief fling with an exotic human female sounds like the perfect way to conclude their travels, while his more pragmatic bondmate urges caution.
Despite all the reasons to avoid her, the Alphans seek her out, intrigued by her prickly pride and defiant disposition. For her part, Corrine is intimidated by these imposing and mysterious alien men, but finds herself overwhelmed by their determined courtship.
Edem and Mallet convince themselves their deepening feelings for Corrine do not have to include bonding, since such a commitment is forbidden by the King and subjects of Alpha, determined to keep the bloodline pure. But when danger threatens, the three are forced to choose between having the galaxy at their feet or losing each other forever.
Story Excerpt
They made her shake. She’d thought it was first with anger, then fear, but as Mal eased his mouth against hers while Edem circled his fingers down her back, she knew she was shaking with lust. How had she gotten here? She’d been so insulted by the gift she’d rushed to them thoughtlessly and had somehow admitted to them she was frightened of sex, but now was barely able to keep on her feet for the heat blooming in her pussy.
Someone’s hands were pulling at the hem of her shirt, and she drew away from Mal to glance down and discover Edem had insinuated his fingertips underneath the material and was now rubbing along her bare waist. Her skin tingled. Mal reached for her buttons and had the front of her shirt open before she realized what was happening. When the cool air reached her nearly exposed breasts, she automatically reached to bring the edges back together, her breath rushing in and out with a mix of desire and caution.
“Let us see and touch. Just here,” Edem said softly as he caressed her lower back. Mal stared at her, his eyes darkening as he gave a slight nod. It was stupid to even consider it, but she seemed to be doing lots of stupid things lately. This could be the test. She could say no and hope they would stop. Would they let her control this? She didn’t want to say no yet, though. She sucked in a breath and urged her stiff fingers to cooperate as she released her grip on the shirt. She was wearing a bra, so she could say no when then tried to remove that final layer and expose her.
Edem let out a sigh and tugged at her sleeves, her blouse falling from her shoulders. She couldn’t stop her shiver as the cool air trickled across her back and stomach. Mal tightened his grip on her waist, and with a start she realized he had a sizeable erection and it was pressed into her belly. Normally, she’d shy away, but somehow knowing how aroused he was pleased her rather than made her anxious.
Mal trailed his fingers along her collarbones. “You’re lovely.”
“So delicate,” Edem chimed in, and she glanced at him, wondering what he thought of her faded, repaired bra. He was a powerful man on his planet and was probably used to women who were perfumed, groomed, and attired in beautiful chiffons and laces. She failed on all counts.
Sliding his hand along her side, Edem cupped one of her breasts, pushing her flesh slightly up. Her nipple contracted in a painful nub, and she inhaled deeply. He ran his thumb over the sensitized bit of flesh, and the material of her bra bit into her.
Mal dipped his head her way, long strands of his dark hair trailing along her bare shoulders. He pressed a kiss to the top swell of the breast Edem was holding, and she shook at the sensation of both of them caressing her in synchronicity. She clenched her hands in confusion. She wanted to touch them but wasn’t sure how. She’d always been confused and tense with the few men she’d been with, which had undoubtedly contributed to her discomfort with the act.
Soft lips nibbled at her neck, and she leaned away from him, not to avoid the touch as she should, but to allow him more room. The ticklish sensations crept over her nerves, and she compulsively reached up to clutch at Edem’s head, her fingers sinking into his surprisingly silky hair. He bit her throat gently in response, and a surprised moan burst from her. Before she could think further, Mal had fastened his mouth over her nipple and pressed his teeth to the sensitized flesh. Her whole body jolted uncontrollably, and she cried out, unable to hold back the sound of surprise and excitement.
“It would be better without this,” Edem whispered in her ear as he ran his fingers under the shoulder strap of her bra. Mal rumbled against her breast, and she reached her other hand out to trace into his hair, careful to avoid those curving horns. “May I?”
Where to Buy
Evernight Publishing
Amazon
All Romance eBooks
Bookstrand
About J.J. Lore
J.J. Lore needs three things; strong, black coffee, time to write, and…well…you can guess the third. When she isn’t inventing fantastical tales filled with passionate people, she’s shaking sriracha on whatever she’s eating or reading about the Justinian plague. For updates on her bestselling erotic romance releases, visit her at http://mllesnarratif.com/j-j-lore/ or follow on Twitter.
Nicola Cameron Writes 