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Mid Week Tease: Cross Current #MidWeekTease #MWTease
It’s Wednesday? Well, we all know what that means! Yes, it’s time to tease you with a snippet from one of my WIPs. So, how would you like to see the (unedited) opening of Cross Current (Olympic Cove Book Four)? Of course you would!
Enjoy, and make sure to hit the list after the teaser to see other great Mid Week Teases!
“If you’ll sign here, please.”
Matt Taber wrote his signature on the indicated line.
“And here.”
Another line, another signature.
“And one last time.”
The same slightly scrawled name, black ballpoint ink standing out on the paper. Matt noticed the lawyer’s office printed out their documents on the nice heavy paper made for laser printers, not the thin general purpose stuff.
Nothing but the best for the death of a marriage.
“That should do it,” his lawyer said. He exchanged a nod with the other lawyer, their steps done in this particular dance.
Across the table, Matt’s now-ex-wife Nancy sat with her hands neatly folded, a politely blank expression on her face. After ten years of living with her, he still couldn’t read it.
Then again, he didn’t have to try anymore. Giving her a brusque nod, he stood and followed his lawyer out of the conference room.
“That went pretty well, I’d say,” the lawyer said. “Although I still think we should have held out for community property. You know you’re dropping back down into a pretty sad tax bracket, right?”
“I know.” Matt shrugged. “That’s fine. I don’t want anything from her.”
That wasn’t quite true. But the only thing he’d ever wanted from Nancy was the one thing she didn’t want to give. And he couldn’t even really blame her for that.
He nodded through the rest of the lawyer’s litany, agreeing to stop by the office for the final payment. And then he was alone in the granite-clad hallway, surrounded by expensive air and time that was counted in billable hours.
“Matt.”
He started, turning. Nancy stood at the door of the conference room, flawlessly dressed as usual. Today she wore a cream tailored jacket and skirt over a champagne silk blouse that would go straight from a divorce lawyer to her office at a major bank without anyone batting an eye.
The hurt washed over him again, followed almost immediately by relief. I loved you, I really did. In a way, I still do.
She pursed her mouth as if hearing his thoughts. “I’m not going to give you some ridiculous platitude about how this is the best thing for both of us,” she said, kind and blunt at the same time. “I wasn’t happy, and I wanted out, simple as that. But I also know you’re hurting right now, and I’m truly sorry about that. You’re a nice guy. You’ll be able to find someone who’ll be a better fit for you.”
Matt let a slow breath roll out. “I thought you weren’t going to give me some ridiculous platitude.”
One black eyebrow rose in an elegant curve. “You have a point. I’ll be back from Hong Kong in a month. Will that be enough time for you?”
“Yeah, plenty.” The house on Chinook Lane had been hers before their married. He admired the building, but had never felt at home there. It was like living in something out of an Architectural Digest article. “I can swing by and check the mail every couple of days if you like.”
“No, I already put a hold on it at the post office. But thank you.”
He stared at the woman who, with a handful of signatures, had gone from his wife to a stranger. “Have a good flight,” he finally said.
“Thanks.” She leaned over and brushed cool lips across his cheek, then turned and walked away.
#
“And that was that.”
“Damn.” Chris Wilson shook his head. “That’s cold, man.”
After walking out of the lawyer’s office into the bright Florida sunshine, Matt’s first instinct had been to go back to the extended stay hotel room he’d been renting since Nancy announced she wanted a divorce and lick his wounds. A text from Chris, his coworker and chemistry teacher at McAuliffe Senior High School, summoning him to their favorite sports bar for a post-divorce beer had changed his plans.
He rolled the bottom of his bottle on the tabletop, painting a ring of condensation on the sealed wood. “That’s Nancy,” he pointed out. “It’s not like she was going to fall into my arms crying and begging me to take her back.”
“Yeah, but come on,” Chris said, gesturing with his own bottle. “You didn’t ask for a damn thing from her, and you could have. The least she could have done was give you some breakup booty.”
Matt grimaced. “The last thing I want from her is pity sex.”
Chris blew out a breath. “Yeah, suppose I can’t blame you there. Banging an ice queen must be like freeze-drying your dick.”
“She wasn’t that bad.”
Chris gave him a look that clearly said are you shitting me?
Matt’s lips twitched. “Okay, maybe she was that bad. We had some fun, though.”
“If you say so. Me, I like my women a little more human.” The chemistry teacher tapped the table with one long finger. “So, what about the rest of your stuff? I can help you move it out this weekend.”
“Nah, that’s okay. I’m putting most of it in storage anyway. I’ll figure out what I want to do with it after school starts.”
“I’d think ‘look for an apartment’ would be kinda high on the list,” Chris pointed out. “You can’t stay in that hotel room forever.”
“I’m not. I’m moving out tomorrow.”
“Whoa. You already got a place?”
“Sort of.” For the first time that day, Matt felt like smiling. “We were supposed to go to France in a couple of weeks for our anniversary. Obviously that’s not happening now. She said she didn’t care what I did with the reservations, so I cashed everything in. It was more than enough to let me rent a cottage on the beach for the rest of the summer. Until school starts I’m just going to sit on my ass, drink beer, and get a tan.”
Chris saluted him with the beer bottle. “Now that sounds like a plan to me. And you know, if you get overrun with those hot little beach bunnies I’m more than happy to come on over and help out.”
“Yeah, I bet.” Matt drained the last of his beer. “Look, it’s been a long day and I still have some packing to do. Mind if I take off?”
“No problem, I got the tab. We still on for the game this weekend?”
“Wouldn’t miss it. Talk to you later.”
He was halfway to the door when he heard Chris yell, “Hey, where is this cottage anyway?”
Matt grinned. Less than a minute. He’s getting smarter. “About twenty miles south of here,” he shouted back over the bar din. “Some place called Olympic Cove.”
“Never heard of it.”
“Me, neither. Should be nice and quiet.”
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Nicola’s Sunday Shoutout: Doris O’Connor
Today’s Sunday Shoutout goes to the prolific Doris O’Connor, whose hot take on a favorite fairy tale, Claimed By her Bears, is now available from Evernight Publishing and other purveyors of fine erotic romance. Take it away, Doris!
Thanks so much for having me on your blog today with my newest release, Claimed By her Bears.
Loosely based on Goldilocks and the three bears, this is my version of one of my favourite Fairytales with a decidedly naughty spin.
Imagine being Goldie. You’re not only running late, but you just have to tumble right into your new CEO’s arms, covering both of you in coffee at the same time. Not the best impression to make on the new, sex on legs boss.
Jason Stanhope, for that matter, did not expect to have his mate tumble into his arms on his first day at the office. His very human, clueless about shifters, and inexperienced in the lifestyle mate.
What’s a Dom to do?
This delectable human morsel will run for the hills, if he reveals his bear, never mind the fact that he comes as a package deal, won’t she?
Well, Goldie might be human, but she has a few surprises of her own up her sleeve as it were, and as she embarks on a crash course in all things BDSM, she surprises not only her bears, but also herself.
In her words:
“To heck with labels and what other people might think.”
Let the naughty fun begin.
Take one very human girl. Add three bear shifters and one BDSM club. Shake well…
When Goldie Lockwood tumbles into the arms of the new CEO, she falls head over heels in lust with the enigmatic Dom. Interested in the lifestyle she might be, but Jason Stanhope seems way out of her league.
Jason’s bear wants nothing more than to bend Goldie over his desk and claim her right there, but that wouldn’t be appropriate. This bear shifter comes as a package deal—three for the prize of one. As the oldest of triplets, his mate will also have to submit to his brother and sister.
While Goldie responds beautifully to his training, will a weekend at the club be one step too far, or can she be the sweet sub the siblings need?
Revealing their bears might very well make Goldilocks live up to her name.
Story Excerpt
He had originally planned to spank her insolent ass, and then fuck her over his desk, but when she hadn’t appeared, his mood had darkened. For one soul wrenchingly disappointing second he’d thought she’d run out on him, and then his bear had picked up the scent of aroused woman. He’d tracked her down to the ladies’, and just when he thought he’d have to break the door in, she had appeared, and a new plan had taken hold.
Her untutored responses to him had made the Dom in him roar, and his bear had positively strutted at them. Fucking her now was out of the question. His volatile animal was too close to the surface, and he would not be able to resist biting her. No, it was far safer for everyone involved to consummate their relationship at the safety of the club, where his bear would be easier to control in the company of Jacob and Cat.
Besides, they had to establish the ground rules, and his little Goldilocks had some homework to do, starting right now.
He spread his legs and raised an eyebrow at her when she just stood there, staring at him openmouthed.
“I’m waiting, girl. If you can’t follow a simple instruction then this ain’t gonna work out between us.” She gasped at that, and grinning he reached out and shut her mouth with his index finger under her chin. A shudder went through her when he rubbed the pad of his thumb over her kiss swollen lips, and she pouted when he withdrew again.
“Can’t you just spank me or something, and get that punishment over with, please, Sir?”
Jason threw his head back and laughed, and her pout deepened, but when he shook his head, she gave an exaggerated sigh, and slowly inched the hemline of her skirt up.
It was his turn to groan when her pretty pink pussy lips came into view. Delightfully bare, they glistened in her dew, and his bear huffed his need for a taste of the nectar between her legs.
Jason had to clear his throat to get his voice to work, and the little minx grinned at him.
“Spread your legs, girl. Give your Sir a good view.”
With a groan to match his, Goldie complied, and Jason had to rub his aching shaft through his trousers to gain some relief, as her outer lips opened to reveal the bounty therein. Her inner lips darkened in color the longer he stared at them, as the blood rushed to that area. Her engorged clit stood proudly out its hood, almost daring him to devour it with his teeth, and her pussy hole clenched and released, causing more of her juices to trickle out of it and down the inside of her thighs.
“Now, that is a pretty sight, my girl. I bet you want to come pretty badly right now, don’t you.”
“Ye-es.”
He smirked at her strangled answer, and taking his phone out of his pocket got to his knees to take some candid close up shots of his girl’s cunt. Both Jacob and Cat would sure appreciate those, not to mention he would, while he imagined himself balls deep inside that pretty flesh.
“What are you doing, Sir?” Her voice wobbled, but she didn’t close her legs either, and pride surged in him. Maybe this would work out after all. Not claiming her as his was already too painful to contemplate. All three of them would just have to work really hard to make her fall in love with them so that the small matter of them shifting into grizzlies wouldn’t freak her out too much.
He had a sudden vision of her running away screaming from the club when she found out about them like her namesake in the popular fairytale. He shook his head to free it of those disturbing thoughts, and getting back to his feet showed her the last picture he’d just taken.
“Just taking a picture of what’s mine, girl.”
Goldie glanced at the screen briefly and blushed crimson.
“No need to be ashamed, Goldilocks. You have the prettiest little cunt I’ve ever seen, and I can’t wait to claim it.”
The hopeful look she threw his way made him laugh, and he shook his head.
“Not today though.” He pulled the hemline of her pencil skirt down and tapped her nose.
“You can close your legs now, but remember what I said. No making yourself come, and no panties. I’ll be checking to make sure you follow that rule, and if you don’t…” He grinned at her sharp intake of breath when he swatted her ass twice.
“You won’t be able to sit that pretty behind of yours down for a week, got it?”
“Yes, Sir,” she whispered, and he brushed his lips over hers, drinking in the scent of his woman.
“You have some homework to do first, and when I think you’re ready, we’ll be taking that step at the club.”
Her eyes widened anew at that proclamation.
“The club?” she asked. “Not the one all the staff is dying to find out about?”
Jason tapped her nose again and stepping away, pulled out the list of websites he’d printed off for her earlier out his trouser pocket.
“The very same, baby, only, you’re looking at the new owner. Well one of them. My sister and brother own a third each.”
“There’s more of you?” Her voice rose in her astonishment, and he knew now was the perfect time to test the waters.
“Yes, we’re triplets, and…” He let his words trail off waiting for her reaction, and she didn’t disappoint.
“Triplets? I guess that makes you really close, right?” she asked, and when he just shrugged his shoulders, she wrapped her arms around herself.
“Is there a reason you’re telling me this now?” she asked, and he nodded.
“Let’s just say, we like to share—everything.”
Where To Buy
Evernight Publishing
Amazon
Bookstrand
All Romance eBooks
About Doris O’Connor
Doris is a writer of sensual, sassy, and sexy tales involving alpha heroes to die for, and heroines who give as good as they get. From contemporary to paranormal, Sci-fi, BDSM, F/F, M/M, and Ménage, haunting love stories are guaranteed.
Happily married for the last twenty-five years, she lives with her husband and their brood of nine in a far too small house filled with love, laughter, and chaos.
Where to find Doris O’Connor
Website
Twitter
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Tsu
Evernight Publishing
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
All Romance E-books
Bookstrand
Mid Week Tease: Trickster: All In #MidWeekTease #MWTease
It’s Wednesday? Awesome! Because I have a little teaser for you from Trickster: All In. In fact, it’s the very first scene. Don’t say I never give.
Enjoy, and make sure to hit the list after the teaser to see other great Mid Week Teases!
“Nice,” Mark Fellows said, sipping the tiny glass (and it was real glass, he noted, not some flimsy plastic cup) of champagne the smiling flight attendant had brought him before takeoff. “I could get used to flying business class.”
“Good, because I don’t fly coach,” Delaney Smith said. “Where I go, you go.”
“I knew there were hidden perks to being your mate.”
The coyote shifter narrowed his eyes. “You mean having a house big enough to display all your action figures, an indoor hot tub, a gaming setup that would have Wil Wheaton creaming, and hours of amazing sex aren’t enough?” he asked.
Mark waggled his free hand. “Meh.”
“Oh, really?” Delaney leaned closer until his lips brushed Mark’s ear. “Well, then, how about when we get to the hotel I make sure you’re naked, hard, and flat on your back thirty seconds after we walk into the room?” he whispered.
Soft as they were, the words seemed to go directly to Mark’s dick, making him rock hard in seconds. “Dammit–”
“You started it, babe. Speaking of that, I think I’ll start at the top and work my way down, biting and kissing every inch of skin I can find,” Delaney continued in a sweet, filthy murmur. “I plan on paying a great deal of attention to those pretty little nipples and that delicious dick of yours, mainly because I love the noises you make when I go down on you. I’ll even lick your balls just the way you like while I’m working a finger into you, getting you ready for my cock. And just when I’ve got you moaning my name and begging me to fuck you—“
Mark’s mouth had gone dry at the litany of delights awaiting him when they landed. “Yeah?”
He felt Delaney’s lips curve against his ear. “I’m going to finish the paperwork for the trade show.”
Mark shuddered. “You bastard,” he said, heartfelt.
“Other side of the coin, babe.” Still grinning, Delaney sat back in his seat, taking a sip of champagne. “This is a business trip, after all.”
“I know.” Grimacing, Mark tried to circumspectly adjust his trousers. He’d heard of WestTech before, of course, and was looking forward to attending the technology trade show. But he also wanted to spend some quality naked time with Delaney. The last month had been insane, what with the new security contracts being snapped up by Trickster Technologies, and between his own work load and Delaney’s he’d barely seen his boyfriend/boss/mate. “Never mind. It’s fine.”
He meant it, but Delaney glanced at him with a flicker of not-quite-concern. “Hey, it’s not going to be all work and no play,” the shifter said. “This is Vegas, after all.”
“I know. Seriously, don’t worry about it. I know we’ll get some time together.”
Delaney picked his hand up from the armrest and brushed lips across his knuckles. “Damn skippy we will. You’re not the only one with blue balls here, babe.”
Oddly, that made Mark feel better. “You can’t be hurting more than me. I’ve barely had enough time to take a leak, much less beat off.”
“You get to piss by yourself?” Whiskey brown eyes widened in surprise. “Man, some people get all the luck. I have to have Eileen come in and hold it for me while I’m on yet another frigging conference call.”
Mark imagined Delaney’s hypercompetent assistant briskly manipulating his junk into an empty water bottle while Delaney smooth-talked a client’s security department on speakerphone. “Be grateful she didn’t just stick a catheter in.”
Delaney shuddered. “Yii. Erection all gone. Thanks, babe.”
“I live to serve.”
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Nicola’s Sunday Shoutout: Bad Alpha @evernightpub #badalpha #eroticromance
Bad Alpha and Bad Alpha: Manlove Edition feature a select collection of stories with shifters so ruthless they will stop at nothing to protect their pack. These aren’t sugar-and-spice heroes. Our alphas are feared, inked, and don’t ask questions first. They take what they want, never give in to their enemies, and think love is for the weak—until they meet their mate. Are you ready to learn how to tame a savage heart?
Hey folks, Nicola here! I am extremely delighted to host both of Evernight Publishing’s newest anthologies today (and not just because I have a story in one of them). I asked some of the authors to tell me what inspired their stories about bad alphas and the mates who love them.
Doris O’Connor
From the minute the submission call for the Bad Alpha Anthology went up, I knew I would have to write something. I love shifters and bad boys. Combine the two…yes, I could not resist that, so it wasn’t a huge surprise when I woke up one morning with bear shifter Zayden growling in my ear.
He was a sought after assassin, and he came to me mid kill of his latest assignment. Cynical, deadly, this killer for hire has no time for tender feelings, let alone a mate, so when he finds out that the Alpha he’s been hired to kill, is his mate.
In his words…
Quinton Thorn was his fucking mate. The universe was having a great big laugh at his fucking expense. He’d come here to kill his mate. His bear roared at the mere thought, and Zayden shook his head. He could no more kill the man than he could have killed his own mother. He wasn’t a complete fucking animal, but the new tender feelings that had coursed through him when he’d shaken Quinton’s hand meant he felt like a fish out of water. He knew how to kill and fuck, but he had no idea what to do about these emotions.
Such a delicious conflict. What would Quinton do when he finds out that his mate is a killer?
L.D. Blakeley
When the call for submissions was announced for Bad Alpha: Manlove, I mulled it over for approximately 10 seconds before deciding, “Yep! It’s time to throw your hat into the horror/supernatural ring.” Later that evening, while picking out a movie to watch, my husband mentioned that the myth behind the 2001 French movie Le pacte des loups (Brotherhood of the Wolf) might be fun to somehow incorporate into a story. So off I went, down the Google rabbit hole. There is a ton of info out there with regard to the Beast of Gévaudan. And with so much actual fact mixed up nicely with the fiction, the idea became all that more appealing. My story, “Destined”, didn’t take long to work its way onto paper (especially with Joe Manganiello and Gaspard Ulliel taking shape in my head as Marick and Caleb, respectively!)
Where to Buy
Bad Alpha
Evernight | Amazon | All Romance eBooks | Bookstrand
Bad Alpha: Manlove Edition
Evernight | Amazon | All Romance eBooks | Bookstrand
Bad Alpha
“For Blood” by J.R. Gray
The only way to end the war and stop the bloodshed is to marry the enemy. Every fiber of Roman wants to hate Victoria, but the more he sees, the more he craves her. Can he fight their past demons to be with her?
“Destiny Realized” by Khloe Wren
Leonardo has been the clan’s alpha for 300 years. Ruling his people has always been his one and only priority. Until he, along with his brother and sister, stop at a broken down car near their home in the Flinders Ranges on the edge of Outback Australia. The woman they rescue turns both Leo and, his brother, Valentino’s lives upside down. A mate was the last thing Leo wanted, and everything Val had ever hoped for.
Felicia is on the run. Again. Her baby’s daddy broke her daughter’s arm the last time he caught up with them so she’s desperate to stay ahead of him. But her car breaks down and trouble finds her. A killer takes advantage of her failing vehicle and she fears all is lost for her and her little girl, until another car stops and she finds herself in a whole new world where she may just have found the future she’s always wanted but never dreamed she’d have.
“Exiled Alpha” by Amber Morgan
Rachel Jacobs is a wolf on a mission. To save her pack from destruction, she’s turning to the werewolf who nearly destroyed it once before. Arkady Gusev is everything her father ever warned her against – so why does she find him so irresistible?
Arkady Gusev isn’t looking for a pack or a woman. But when Rachel walks through his door, she throws down a challenge he can’t resist. Is this exiled alpha about to come home?
“Drakon’s Prize” by Moira Callahan
Being the Alpha of a misfit clan of Dragons comes with its share of troubles. When the supernatural Council comes to Drakon Blackwood with yet another false claim against his clan he knows it’s time to make someone pay. Preferably with their life.
Allegra Hanson doesn’t work for the Council, and yet she’s been roped into assisting them in their investigation into the Blackwood clan’s supposed activities. Against her better judgment she goes to the clan’s lands to do what she can. What she never planned on was her visceral reaction to the Alpha.
The Blackwood clan land is valuable. Not for its location, but for what lies beneath the earth’s surface. Many will do anything to get it, one will stop at nothing, and is willing to kill Drakon’s woman to get it. Allegra is his, and there’s no way Drakon will lose the most precious prize of all.
“Tiger’s Mate” by April Zyon
Streak politics, and differences in opinions forced Kurt Owens to choose his own path. While it may be outside of the law in many regards he sees it as ensuring justice for the true victims of crimes when the system fails them. It’s his way of seeing the guilty pay, and keeping his own inner beast in check with the violence, and blood it craves.
Everyone thinks having a super power would be great. Alexa Harold would beg to differ. She’s been cursed to see ghosts, the dead not yet having gone to their final resting place, or judgment, or wherever they belong. They track her down, and harass her until she’s ready to go mad. Learning early in life what she needs to avoid has been the only saving grace in keeping her sanity intact.
Kurt never thought he’d find his mate outside of the streak, or streak functions. While those of a supernatural inclination aren’t exactly rare, they have had to be careful and keep their population down. Alexa is the woman for him the only one he could ever want or need. And when her life is put in danger by his own past Kurt won’t stop until everyone understands to get to this tiger’s mate, they’ll have to get through him.
“Dark Heart” by Elyzabeth M. VaLey
Ten years ago, Daryl Jones lost his pack to a group of demon vampires. Since then, he not only lost his will to battle for good, his life has become a spiral of drinking, fighting and fucking anything in sight. In his opinion, a pretty perfect existence. Until, he meets the new SOA representative sent to convince him to go back to the lab. With mile long legs, a tight little ass and a smile to kill for, when she offers him a bargain, how can he possibly refuse?
Silvia Adams, has one mission: convince Daryl Jones to work for SOA again. The agency needs him to get back into the lab and help develop a serum to neutralize the growing number of vampires. She knew it wouldn’t be easy task, but with her job on the line, she’ll do anything it takes, including, bargaining with the shifter and surrendering to her deepest desires. Only problem is, she might have bartered for more than she can handle.
“Resisting His Mate” by Lynn Burke
Warrick Keaton eludes a forced pairing with one of his kind. No one is going to choose his mate for him, not when he wants nothing to do with being tied down to a woman. He never expects fate to intervene in the form of a freezing, barely alive female. With his independence in jeopardy, Warrick fights his inner hawk’s desire to stake a claim on her.
Clare Byron longs to escape her domineering ex-husband, a jealous bear shifter determined to keep her prisoner. She seizes the opportunity to run and lands in the arms of another alpha—exactly what she doesn’t want or need.
For Warrick, Clare is everything he’s ever wanted in a mate and all that he’s run from. For Clare, Warrick is freedom in a way she never dreamed possible—the one man who will own her heart yet give her wings to fly.
“Alpha’s Vixen” by Jocelyn Dex
Dax is overwhelmed by desire when he catches the white fox trespassing on his land, and that totally pisses him off. He refuses to mate, no matter how much the fox inside him wants it, Dax definitely does not.
Opal is instantly enamored with the menacing black fox, but isn’t surprised when he chases her away—no one ever wants her, the freak-of-nature albino.
When theft and violence bring them together again, will they give in to passion, or will their hang-ups force them apart?
“Always Midnight” by Ashlynn Monroe
Taryne Michael is all her younger brother Travys has ever had for stability. When fifteen-year-old Trav doesn’t come home after he fights with her she spends the next week searching for him. He finally comes home he’s not the same boy who slammed the door the night he left. Something is very wrong and when she discovers he’s been transformed into a werewolf she’s at a loss as to what to do. The violent, angry boy isn’t the little brother she knows how to deal with. Teenage hormones are nothing compared to the animalistic young man emerging from the boy she’d raised.
Ax Greyson is a lone wolf, an alpha without a pack. He enforces laws non-shifters don’t know about. Celo Valley, is a place where two species co-reside. The werewolves keep the humans blind to their existence by being careful. Someone isn’t following the rules. Someone is killing, with no regard for secrets. When killing the woman seems like the only way to keep his people’s secret until Ax’s instincts find another way.
Mate…the word is the only thing that can scare a man like Ax.
“Becoming His Mate” by Harper Shaddock
After escaping an abusive ex, lone-wolf Brenna is looking for a fresh start. She never expected to stumble across a pack’s territory, or that the Alpha would claim her for a mate. Remy had enough on his plate dealing with a rival pack, but it was love at first howl and he’s not about to lose his mate…even if it means fighting her past her fears.
Bad Alpha: Manlove Edition
“Bully Boys” by Nicola Cameron
When Victorian solicitor Arthur Finter is forced to cut down a dangerous London alley after work, he stumbles upon pit bull shifter Alpha Gunner Jones in the middle of a dogfight with a rival shifter pack. The hard-nosed bully boy scents Arthur and recognizes him as his mate, but will events orchestrated by the other pack separate them before Gunner can lay final claim?
“The Alpha’s Assassin” by Doris O’Connor
Bear shifter Zayden Reid makes his living doing what he does best—killing people. The sought after assassin doesn’t have to think twice when he’s offered a lot of money to kill the Alpha of a wolf pack, until he scents his mate.
As the Alpha of his pack Quinton Thorn is used to giving orders. He may be gay, but that doesn’t mean he’s weak, and he’ll squash any challenge to his leadership with ruthless efficiency. When the threat comes from a source he trusts, however, can he afford to give into his feelings for his mate, knowing that he’ll endanger everyone under his protection?
The mating bond cannot be denied, no matter what the consequences, and they might well kill.
“Discarded Pup” by Angelique Voisen
Betrayed by his beta and abandoned by his pack, Cole Reyes wasted the last ten years of his life rotting behind bars. A cage is no place for a wolf, and wounds left open, fester. Cole has zero tolerance for mercy. The time Cole spent in prison didn’t just bleed out all the decency he once possessed. It broke him. Made him hard and unforgiving. Cole’s vengeance starts now, beginning with his beta’s new toy.
“Yellow Eyes” by Gale Stanley
The brutal war between shifters and humans is over, but each side still sees the other as a threat. The only thing they can agree on, is that they can’t agree. Humans live east of the bridge, shifters live west. Camden is a halfbreed, the product of a rape that happened during the war. Neither side wants him, but he lives with his human mother. The night she dies, Camden goes west looking for revenge. He knows he won’t find his father, and he’ll probably get himself killed, but he doesn’t care. As long as he takes a shifter with him, he’ll die happy.
Wyat is alpha of the pack living in the west. He’s a warrior who believes in separation of the races. Then on the night of the full moon, he discovers a half-breed hiding in the alley. The man’s scent makes him burn with lust, and against his better judgement, he takes him home—and discovers that sleeping with the enemy might just lead to a better future.
“Destined” by L.D. Blakeley
Caleb Stokes has had a shit night. Too bad catching his boyfriend in flagrante delicto with the club DJ isn’t the worst thing he’ll witness before the night is through. Marick Gevrees has no time for romance. He has even less time for a tipsy twink looking for a man to fill some Daddy fetish. But what the hell is he supposed to do when said twink wanders headlong into the middle of a bloody vendetta that could result in the exposure of his clan?
“Trouble” by James Cox
Tremarc is sleeping his way through the entire Bear Shifter Clan. He’s sent to the moon, under the colonized dome to stay out of trouble. When he meets sexy alpha Lyon and his mated human, Quinn his life takes a sharp turn that may just find him his happy ending or get him kicked out of yet another bear shifter clan.
“Outlaw Wolf” by Elizabeth Monvey
Dekker ran away from his pack in an order to protect his lover and Alpha, Grey, when he overheard two higher ranked wolves talk about killing him.
When Grey finds him six months later, Dekker tries to convince the man he loves to go away. But Grey won’t take no and as the two talk it out, their mutual attraction overwhelms them.
In desperation, Dekker renounces Grey as his Alpha. But when another force tries to punish Dekker by silencing him forever, Grey must choose which stand he’ll take…being the alpha for all his pack, or being the man Dekker needs, even if it means breaking the rules.
Mid Week Tease: Trickster: All In #MidWeekTease #MWTease
It’s Wednesday? Awesome! Because I have a little teaser for you from my new WIP, something I’m calling…Trickster: All In. Yes, it’s a sequel to Trickster, and yes it stars Delaney and Mark, but this scene focuses on another coyote shifter and how he kinda sorta cutes his way into his human mate’s tent during a rainstorm.
Enjoy, and make sure to hit the list after the teaser to see other great Mid Week Teases!
Finishing his toilette by flashlight, Simon finally stripped down to a t-shirt and underwear and slid into his sleeping bag. He didn’t bother zipping it up, preferring to keep one foot out to regulate his body temperature. The rain drummed down on the tent fabric overhead but nothing dripped in, which was all he could ask for, really.
No. What I could ask for is someone to share my sleeping bag with. He’d eyed the other campers earlier, knowing they were doing the same to him, but none of them seemed to click. He resigned himself to a quick fantasy about Carlos the tour guide and was sliding his hand under his briefs waistband when something scratched at the tent’s zippered entrance.
Simon yanked his hand free and sat up. No, it can’t be. I’m not that lucky.
“Who’s there?” he called.
Another quick scratch. He fumbled for the flashlight and clicked it on, pointing the beam at the tent flap. Now he could see the fabric bulge gently as someone or something poked at it.
If it was another camper, they’d say something, wouldn’t they? Or are they—is he—trying to be discreet?
Feeling a flicker of hope, Simon scrambled out of his bag and crawled to the tent flap. Yanking the zipper up, he peered into the night. “Carlos?”
A whine answered him. He moved the flashlight beam, catching a glimpse of bedraggled fur. The creature flinched from the light but stayed where it was.
Simon stared out at the—yes, it was a coyote. What the hell was it doing pawing at his tent? And now that he’d opened the damned flap why wasn’t it attacking? More to the point, why was he just kneeling there staring at it?
The coyote just stood there, drenched by the downpour. It cocked its head to the side and whimpered.
“Shoo!” Simon hissed, waving a hand at it. “Go away.”
It whimpered again, then shivered. It looked, in a word, pitiful.
Oh, no. No, you are not going to be an idiot and do what I think you’re going to do. That’s a wild animal and perfectly capable of taking care of itself. You are not going to open the damned flap even wider and—
He lurched back just in time to avoid being drenched as the coyote shimmied, dispersing the rain from its coat. Only then did it slink into the tent. He could have sworn that the damned animal sighed in relief. All right, so it’s a courteous coyote. You’re still an idiot.
It was a popular campground, he reasoned fiercely as he dug around for his discarded clothes. Campers probably fed the local wildlife all the time, semi-domesticating them. The coyote simply wanted to get in from out of the rain. It wouldn’t hurt him.
He hoped.
Pushing the discarded clothes into a rough oval shape, he reluctantly laid his spare towel over it. “There. That should keep you warm,” he muttered. “Just don’t bite me, all right?”
The coyote climbed into the nest, turning around a few times in canine fashion before settling down in a curl, nose tucked under a bottle brush tail. It sighed again, then relaxed. All right, then. It’s going to sleep, which is what you should be doing as well. I’m sure it’ll wake you up when it wants to go out in the morning. If it doesn’t rip your throat out in your sleep, that is.
Cautiously, Simon slid back into his sleeping bag and curled on his side, watching the coyote. Yes, definitely an idiot.
****
The rain was still pattering on the tent canvas when Simon woke with a warm body wrapped around him. It stirred and muttered something unintelligible, shifting against him.
Something hard and warm poked his thigh. Still mostly asleep, he ran his hand up and over a muscled flank, sliding inwards. The cock wasn’t overlong, but nicely thick and veiny from the feel of things. The man in his arms moaned as he teased the silky flesh, stroking it in a loose grip.
He was about to try shifting onto his side so that he could bring his own cock into play when the other man stiffened, jerking away. That woke him up fully, and Simon found himself staring at a stranger.
An absolutely adorable stranger, with green eyes, kissable lips, and tangled dark hair that made him look like a sleepy cherub if a cherub could have morning stubble. A stranger that he would have immediately gravitated to if he’d seen him on the bus. How in God’s name did I miss him?
“Oh,” Simon said, momentarily nonplussed. “Um…good morning?”
The man gaped at him, then did the most extraordinary thing. He closed his eyes and took in a deep breath through his nose.
Green eyes popped open again, frantic. “Oh, God, I was right,” the man moaned. “Oh, shit!”
Simon didn’t think he smelled too badly. “Is there a problem?”
The man stared at him. “Is there a problem?” he croaked. “Is there a problem? Oh, Jesus Hashimoto Christ, this can’t be happening.”
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Mid Week Tease: Deep Water #MidWeekTease #MWTease
It’s Wednesday? Well, we all know what that means! As Deep Water, the third book in my Olympic Cove series, is now available from Evernight and other online retailers, I thought I’d offer one last look at Olympic Cove and my first MMF trio.
Enjoy, and make sure to hit the list after the teaser to see other great Mid Week Teases!
Poseidon, God of the Sea, has spent millennia alone due to a single terrible act. His consort Amphitrite has sworn never to forgive him, and he’s forced to live with the knowledge that he drove an innocent girl to her doom.
But when one of the Olympic Cove cottages gets an occupant with an all-too-familiar soul, Poseidon discovers that the Fates have given him a second chance. Now he must try to right the wrongs of the past and win back both his beloved consort and the mate he betrayed.
Assuming, of course, that the Mad Nereid Thetis doesn’t interfere…
Griffin twisted in the water. Something heavy slammed into his chest, shoving him backwards and driving the water from his lungs in one great whoosh. Dazed, he looked down and saw a thick wooden shaft sticking out of his chest.
And then agony washed everything away.
****
Amphitrite darted to Griffin’s side, catching him before he could sink to the lagoon floor. She stared in horror at the spear protruding from his sternum.
Then up at her sister Thetis. The First Nereid hovered in the water, tattered robes streaming out from her disfigured body.
“Well met, sister,” Thetis called, sneering. “Although I didn’t expect to find you slumming with landwalkers.”
Amphitrite’s lips pulled back from her teeth in a rictus snarl. “Thetis, you bitch!”
“Now, now, Ammie. You killed my pet,” Thetis called mockingly. “It’s only fair that I kill yours.”
Amphitrite tore her attention away from her gloating sister, focusing on Griffin. “Beloved,” she begged, “please, don’t leave me!”
There was a last flicker in Griffin’s aura as if in answer. Then it disappeared. Her newly found agapetos was dead, lost once again to her.
Amphitrite let them both drift to the lagoon floor, laying his body down as gently as she could. Her shaking hand closed his eyes. I will avenge you, beloved. I swear this.
Looking up at her smirking sister, she held out a hand. Her trident flew to it, the now-separate tines glowing with power. “I’m going to kill you for this,” she snarled.
“Oh, really?” Disdain and something akin to eagerness flickered over Thetis’s face. “You think you can do battle with me, sister? Then come and find me.” The Mad Nereid disappeared into a whirl of sickly grey, streaming out through gaps in the coral.
Amphitrite let out the underwater equivalent of a whistle. Sthenios and Skylla tossed their heads and pulled the chariot to her. She leapt into it, not daring to look at Griffin’s still form. The seahorses surged out of the lagoon after Thetis.
I’ll return for you, beloved, she thought, hoping his spirit could hear her on its way to the Underworld. Just as soon as I kill my sister.
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Mid Week Tease: Deep Water #MidWeekTease #MWTease
It’s Wednesday? Well, we all know what that means! As yesterday was release day for Deep Water, the third book in my Olympic Cove series, I thought I’d tempt you with the brand new, never before seen prologue. Heh, heh, heh…
Enjoy, and make sure to hit the list after the teaser to see other great Mid Week Teases!
Poseidon, God of the Sea, has spent millennia alone due to a single terrible act. His consort Amphitrite has sworn never to forgive him, and he’s forced to live with the knowledge that he drove an innocent girl to her doom.
But when one of the Olympic Cove cottages gets an occupant with an all-too-familiar soul, Poseidon discovers that the Fates have given him a second chance. Now he must try to right the wrongs of the past and win back both his beloved consort and the mate he betrayed.
Assuming, of course, that the Mad Nereid Thetis doesn’t interfere…
Poseidon, God of the Sea, glared at the shimmering silver net surrounding him. “Well, this is another fine mess you’ve gotten us into,” he said to the dolphin floating at his side.
Delphinus let out an offended squeak. It translated to, “It’s not my fault you plunged in here without looking, lord. I told you that fish was behaving oddly.”
Poseidon studied the coral walls around them with annoyance. He’d been out for a day of sport fishing with Delphinus, mainly to get his mind off his recent breakup with the Nereid Thetis. The weather was perfect for chasing down the canny fish that thronged the Mediterranean. After spotting a choice bluefin the sea god had set off in hot pursuit, Delphinus in his wake.
The bluefin had lured them on a merry chase before diving down into a thick knot of seaweed. Poseidon and Delphinus had followed, swimming straight into a small coral grotto thickly carpeted with lichen, seaweed, and sponges. The plant life had cushioned their abrupt stop, but neither god nor dolphin had noticed the enchanted net lining the walls until it snapped closed behind them. “You didn’t say it was leading us into a trap.”
“Why yes, this is true,” Delphinus said, rolling his eyes. “I humbly beg your pardon for not having godly senses that are supposed to detect magic nets like this one, lord. I’ll work on that in the future.”
Ignoring the cetacean sarcasm, Poseidon poked a finger into the gleaming net. It had only contracted at the entrance to the grotto, giving them more than enough room to move. But the silvery net wouldn’t tear, no matter how hard he pulled on it. Using the sharp tines of his trident to rip at the deceptively fragile strands had the same result. Whoever had created this cage was a clever being indeed.
And as soon as I get out of it, Poseidon thought grimly, I’m going to track down that clever being and beat him bloody.
“Problems?”
Both Poseidon and Delphinus startled, turning towards the figure that was now hovering just outside the grotto’s entrance.
“Amphitrite?” Poseidon said, drifting closer. “What are you doing here?”
“Waiting for you,” the Nereid said, tucking a lock of dark hair behind one ear. She wore a clinging wisp of fabric that did nothing to hide her feminine curves, and her eyes were bright in a preternaturally lovely face. “Took you long enough to stumble into my trap, sea lord. I’m going to have to feed that bluefin for weeks, now.”
Delphinus muttered something uncomplimentary at that, and Poseidon glared at both of them. “Is this because I broke things off with Thetis?” he asked, annoyed. “I assure you I meant no insult to your sister, but I cannot marry her—”
Amphitrite held up a slender hand. “Because of the prophecy about her son overthrowing his father. I know. This has nothing to do with Thetis.”
That gave Poseidon pause. Brows furrowed, he studied the beautiful sea nymph floating outside his prison. Her father Nereus was a primal sea god, and he and his fifty daughters were allies of the Olympian Gods. Poseidon had considered himself a welcome presence among them.
Until now, that is. “If this isn’t about Thetis, then what is it about?” he said.
Amphitrite pursed her lips thoughtfully. “Two things. I wanted to ask you a question. And I want something from you.”
Poseidon kicked closer, curling his fingers into the silvery netting. “Locking me in a bespelled net isn’t making me feel forthcoming or generous, Nereid,” he growled.
She seemed impervious to his irritation. “I’m aware of that. But the last time I tried to talk to you in private, Thetis swooped in before I got the chance. The next thing I knew, the two of you were engaged.” Amphitrite tilted her head to the side, giving him an impish look. “I didn’t want that to happen again. Thus, the net.”
Poseidon tugged again on the strands, to no effect. She had obviously gone to some lengths in order to capture him. In a strange way, he supposed he should be flattered. “All right, you have my attention,” he said, giving her an imperious look. “What is your question?”
“Why did you court Thetis instead of me?”
That was not a question he had expected. Recovering, he said, “I needed a consort. Thetis was not only beautiful and accomplished, but she was also the eldest daughter of one of my strongest allies. I thought she would suit the role well.”
Amphitrite’s eyes narrowed. “And I wouldn’t?”
“I didn’t say that.”
“But you never considered me for the role of consort.”
Poseidon considered his delicate cage. Eventually someone would notice he was missing and come in search of him, and it wasn’t as if he could drown or starve. Best to tell the nymph the truth, harsh as it might be. “Actually, I did,” he said. “But Thetis struck me as more … biddable.”
Amphitrite snorted, silver bubbles streaming from her nose. “You obviously don’t know my sister all that well,” she said. “I’m aware she’s known as Thetis the Kind, but the last part is something of a misnomer.”
Poseidon remembered the unpleasant scene in Nereus’s private garden when he’d returned his Nereid’s Band to Thetis, explaining why he was breaking their engagement. She had flung the heavy silver bracelet at his head, screeching imprecations at him until he’d fled. “As I’ve discovered. Whereas you are known as Amphitrite the Wise.” He plucked a strand of the net meaningfully. “A wise woman wouldn’t trap a god in something as flimsy as a net.”
Amphitrite folded her arms across what he had to admit was a rather luscious cleavage. “She would if it was the only way of learning the truth. So you have no interest in me whatsoever.”
Poseidon sighed, blinking against the rush of bubbles. “I didn’t say that either. You’re lovely, and obviously you’re extremely clever. But you’re also very strong-willed, and I’ve heard tales of your skill with weaponry. The god who marries you will not have a quiet marriage.”
He had thought she would be offended at his assessment. Instead, she dimpled. “Is that truly such a bad thing, sea lord?” she said. “A pretty bedmate who will adorn your home is all well and good, but wouldn’t it be better to have a strong consort who will fight at your side and give you able children?”
Poseidon went very still. “And who will I be fighting, Amphitrite?”
Her dimples disappeared. “I’ve served at my father’s table far too long not to know of your struggles with the Titans,” she said, her tone serious. “You and your brothers and sisters will not be able to co-exist for much longer with Kronos and his ilk. Eventually, you will be forced to fight them for dominion. When that happens, I would prefer to be by your side, as I have fought by my father’s side.” She bit her lower lip. “I admit, sea lord, I do not wish to watch you die at the hands of the Titans.”
“I … see.” Poseidon had assumed that her earlier attentiveness during his visits was due to his status as guest and God of the Sea. Apparently he had been wrong.
He quickly reassessed his opinion of the Nereid. True, Thetis had seemed sweeter and more pliable than her headstrong younger sister. But Amphitrite demonstrated a loyalty and strength of character that would serve better in a consort.
And Gaia, she was lovely. “I had no idea you felt this way about me, Amphitrite. I wish you’d said something earlier.”
One corner of her mouth curved upwards. “As I already said, I tried. But Thetis got to you first.”
“But she doesn’t have me any longer.”
“No, she doesn’t.” Amphitrite smiled. “Which leads me to my second item.”
Poseidon realized he’d never seen Nereus’s second daughter truly smile before. Her glorious sunburst of an expression made him feel as if a bolt of his brother’s lightning had pierced his heart. “Yes, you want something from me,” he said, unable not to smile back. “You don’t strike me as the type to ask for trinkets like pearls or jewelry. Do you want a trident of your own? A chariot? Or perhaps an island to rule as queen? I suspect you’d do well with that.”
The Nereid laughed softly. “Nothing as complicated as all that. I want a kiss.”
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Nicola Cameron Writes 