9:32 AM


Final Day

Eternal Embrace

CONTEST: This is the final day of excerpt posting in celebration of Eternal Embrace's upcoming release June 9th. Please stop by each day to read a new excerpt and make sure to leave at least one post one day this week. Along with your post please leave your email address so you can be entered for a chance to win. I'll be drawing 2 winners.

That's right...I said 2 winners!

Each winner will get a free download of Eternal Embrace and 1 of those winners will get an added bonus of a $10 Barnes & Noble gift card.

Also, if you'd like to read chapter one of Eternal Embrace and get in on other contests, updates, free reads, etc. please sign up for my newsletter by sending me an email at AnnLory@gmail.com. I'll draw the winners this Saturday.
EXCERPT:
As soon as the sun disappeared from the sky, Dimitri rose from the bed. He frowned as he mentally surveyed everything in the house. The cat. Muttering an oath, Dimitri stalked across the chamber to the bathroom, cursing the entire way that Cassie had brought her pet to his home.

After bathing, Dimitri dressed in snug black pants and a long-sleeved, open-collar, black silk shirt. When he stepped into his study, he answered the growl that greeted him with one of his own. There, in his favorite chair, sat Patches, staring at him with defiant green eyes.

“You are in my chair, cat.” But Patches stretched leisurely, lay down on the soft cushion, peering at him as if daring him to move her. Despite his words, Dimitri tried to gently push the cat from the chair, but she wouldn’t budge. They glared at each other, neither one backing down. Dimitri intended to win, however. “My house, my rules, cat.”

Patches yawned, and began to lick her paws, clearly determined to ignore him.

“What’s going on?” Cassie entered, a quizzical look on her face. Both Patches and Dimitri faced her guiltily.

Dimitri quickly forgot about the nuisance in his chair, his full attention on her. She was dressed in a familiar red satin teddy.

Cassie looked at Patches. “I hope it’s okay that I brought her with me. I didn’t want to leave her behind.”

Still distracted by her outfit, Dimitri shook his head to clear his thoughts before glancing back at the cat. “Oh, yes, that’s fine.”

Cassie snapped her fingers. “Patches, go upstairs.” The cat twitched her whiskers, stood, then jumped from the chair. It seemed to Dimitri that the animal gave him a little smug feline smile as it flipped its tail stalking from the room.

Cassie handed Dimitri a glass of wine. “I’m sorry.”

Setting the glass aside, Dimitri pulled her body against his. “I’m sure Patches and I will come to a happy compromise in the near future, but there are more important things than that. You are breathtaking.” His gaze roamed over her satin-clad body; he was sure his eyes must glow with his appreciation.

Cassie’s smile was seductive as her hands traveled over his chest, then slowly began to undo each button of his shirt. Dimitri groaned as her fingers skimmed lightly over his skin, teasing him as she bared his flesh. He grabbed her wrists and held them together between them.

His voice was husky when he spoke. “You are playing with fire.” As he said the words, a blaze roared to life in the hearth. Cassie touched her lips to his chest, her tongue grazing his nipples. She looked up at him with vibrant purple eyes. “Good,” she whispered. “I want us to burn.”

9:39 AM


Day 3

Eternal Embrace

CONTEST: This is day two of excerpt posting in celebration of Eternal Embrace's upcoming release June 9th. Please stop by each day to read a new excerpt and make sure to leave at least one post one day this week. Along with your post please leave your email address so you can be entered for a chance to win. I'll be drawing 2 winners.

That's right...I said 2 winners!

Each winner will get a free download of Eternal Embrace and 1 of those winners will get an added bonus of a $10 Barnes & Noble gift card.

Also, if you'd like to read chapter one of Eternal Embrace and get in on other contests, updates, free reads, etc. please sign up for my newsletter by sending me an email at AnnLory@gmail.com. I'll draw the winners this Saturday.


EXCERPT:

Everything seemed to slow as her gaze fell on a dark figure in the corner, her eyes widening with recognition. Her heart pounded a wild frenzy in her chest, and heat seemed to suffuse her skin. He was here. His black stare seemed to devour her, to caress her with its intensity. Warmth seeped into her body, and she returned his look, taking all of him in. Seeing him made her realize that despite everything she’d missed him unbearably.

Dimitri, what are you doing here?

I came to see you, Cassandra.

He seemed to savor each syllable of her name, and she shivered at the sound of his voice in her head. She wanted to forget everything and run into his arms, let him kiss all her hurts away, but she didn’t. He was still a vampire. One of the undead. And she remained angry with him for what he had done to her.

She looked at him; the pain in his eyes seemed all-consuming.

I could never hurt you, Cassandra.

“But you did.” Her words were softly spoken, hanging in the air between them. He bowed his head, and slipped back into the shadows and disappeared into the crowded room. She wanted to call him back but didn’t. Why had he come? Why did she feel she would never be able to move on?

God help her. Though she knew what he was, she still loved him. The room became too hot and closed in. She rushed toward the door and raced outside, letting the chilly air enfold her. She rubbed her hands over her bare arms and watched the mist her breath formed.

Was she fighting a losing battle to try and stay away from him, when every part of her being needed him so desperately? Had she made a mistake in sending him away from her? She knew deep down that he would never truly hurt her, that he cared deeply for her as she did him, but the shock of the previous events occurring all at once had been too much. Learning that he had drunk from her, then forced her to forget had made her feel angry and betrayed, so she’d reacted from fear. Now she was absolutely miserable without him.

There was a sound behind her. She turned to see who had joined her, shrieking when a big burly man with curly blond hair grabbed her roughly, a blade in his hand. Another man just as big but with a tattoo of a spider on his cheek also appeared carrying a knife. Before she could gather her wits, Dimitri materialized from nowhere. He grabbed the man holding her, who released her in his surprise, and threw him across the yard. The other man charged him, yelling as he hit Dimitri, and both men went tumbling to the ground.

Amazingly, the first man seemed unfazed by the fact that he had just been thrown with force and came after Cassie again. The metal in his hand glinted menacingly under the moonlight and the bulb from the building’s entrance.

Dimitri tossed Spider Tattoo off him and sprang to his feet, rushing toward her. “Go back inside. Hide, but do not leave.”

Cassie shook her head, “No I won’t leave you.”

At that moment, Blondie came at them, swinging the blade. Dimitri shoved her away and took the blow in his side, even as he threw an upper cut at his opponent, sending the man flying again. Spider Tattoo attacked once more, but Dimitri was able to get his hands around the man’s neck. Cassie heard bones crunching beneath his fingers, and she cringed as the man slumped, his face contorted.

She cried out as Blondie tried to ambush Dimitri from behind. Cassie watched in horror as the man’s blade nicked Dimitri in the corner of his eye. When she saw his skin bleed and burn, she knew the blades were silver. Desperate to help, she quickly glanced around and broke a large branch off a nearby tree before approaching both men.

Dimitri yelled at her, his accent thick. “Stay back!”

Cassie screamed as the assailant brought the knife down and sank it into Dimitri’s right shoulder, then pulled it out to plunge it into Dimitri’s chest. But Dimitri grabbed the man’s hand and flipped him onto his back, straddling the man. He pushed the blade into Blondie’s heart. Blondie convulsed and shook on the ground, before he went still.

Dimitri rose shakily to his feet, not meeting her terrified gaze, before he fell forward.
Cassie cried out and rushed to him, dropping to her knees at his side, terrified and at the same time concerned for his injuries.

“We have to get out of here.” He whispered, still not looking at her.

Cassie gently stroked his jaw, trying to bring his face around, but he jerked away from her touch. “Why won’t you look at me?”

“I am a monster, Cassandra.” There was such anguish in his voice that her heart broke all over again.

“Look at me, Dimitri.” He did not move, and she gripped his arm, noticing for the first time that his nails were long like talons and appeared razor sharp. “Please.”

Taking a deep breath, he did as she asked. His eyes glowed an eerie red like hell’s own fury, and he curled his lips back, baring his fangs. He looked ferocious, but to her amazement, and no doubt his, she was not afraid. Cassie cupped his face tenderly and ran her fingers along his jaw, over his eyes and lips and through his hair, calming and soothing him. “Dimitri, just breathe.”

9:27 AM

Day 2


Eternal Embrace


CONTEST: This is day two of excerpt posting in celebration of Eternal Embrace's upcoming release June 9th. Please stop by each day to read a new excerpt and make sure to leave at least one post one day this week. Along with your post please leave your email address so you can be entered for a chance to win. I'll be drawing 2 winners.

That's right...I said 2 winners!

Each winner will get a free download of Eternal Embrace and 1 of those winners will get an added bonus of a $10 Barnes & Noble gift card.

Also, if you'd like to read chapter one of Eternal Embrace and get in on other contests, updates, free reads, etc. please sign up for my newsletter by sending me an email at AnnLory@gmail.com. I'll draw the winners this Saturday.


EXCERPT:

He turned on the power to the stereo, selected a CD and placed it in the player, but didn’t turn the music on. Instead, he came back to her, slipping a small remote into his vest pocket. “Do you know any of the dances from the period in which you are dressed, Cassandra?”

“I’m afraid I don’t.”

His gaze was intense, burning into hers. “Will you allow me to teach you?”

Her response was a breathless whisper, as his arm circled her waist pulling her to him. “Yes.” He was solid and large, pressing intimately against her soft curves before he quickly spun her away, positioning himself for the dance.

“Stand, like so.” He showed her, one arm raised above his head and the other feigned holding a skirt. “Not all dances are simple waltzes. Some were performed in groups, others were of couples playing each move off one another. The anticipation of the touch was sometimes the most exciting of all.” His gaze held hers.

She imitated him, grabbing her skirt loosely in her free hand.

“Now, step to the right, then in toward me, and as you do so, bring your raised hand down along the side of my face, barely touching my cheek. I will do the same to you.”

He continued to talk her through the steps, counting as they practiced, sometimes humming out a low tune that was pleasant as they went through the motions. He was a patient teacher and praised all her efforts. When she had mastered the steps, he looked at her, a half smile on his handsome face.

“Are you ready?” She nodded, and he removed the remote from his pocket, hit a button returning it to his vest. Motioning to her they both took their starting positions. The music that came on startled her. It was of mandolins, violins, flutes and drums, all playing a sensual tune.
She moved in toward him, bringing her hand down, fingertips gently grazing his cheek, while his cool fingers caressed her face. His touch seemed to sear her skin, and she lifted her gaze dreamily to meet his.

His eyes were intense, his black stare devouring her as he stepped around, bringing her into his embrace, gliding with her around the floor. His hand swept down her arm and caught her hand, and stepped away. Both their hands were high above their heads, their fingers linked as they swayed in and away from each other.

Their fingers lingering, Cassie and Dimitri both turned and met face-to-face. Their breaths mingled as their lips came mere inches apart. He brought their hands down between them, his gaze never leaving hers.

The music grew louder, the drums pounding an erotic rhythm. As the dance went on, Dimitri and Cassie’s steps became quicker, and though his touches were slight, the flow of his fingers stoked desire, making her burn. Breasts aching, and slick need pulsed between her legs. She needed him.

His hands glided down her side, barely brushing her breasts, causing her nipples to tighten almost painfully. She moaned.
***

Dimitri seized her in his arms, unable to stand the torture any longer. Ignoring the music that continued to play, he pulled her against him, his fingers trailing down the column of her neck. Her breaths were deep and heavy, causing her breasts to heave against his chest. He had to fight the sudden urge to groan.

His hand moved into her hair, releasing it from its clasp. The chestnut tresses cascaded down her back like a waterfall. Little blue flowers stood out in her hair and fell even as he ran his fingers through her silken strands. Catching a flower on a shiny lock, he brought it to his nose before moving his mouth toward her throat. She arched her head back, whimpering as his tongue burned down the slender curve of her neck.

Her heart beat a wild rhythm in his head, matching the tempo of the drum pounding through the ballroom. His lips found the pulse beating at the base of her throat and the pleasing scent of her blood called to him, humming through her veins. He knew it would taste as delightful as its aroma. His fangs descended as they grazed against her ivory flesh.

His cock was hard as granite and he painfully needed release. It has been so long since he’d felt a woman beneath him, the sensation of velvet heat as he drove into her. Cassandra tantalized him to the edge of his self-control. He wanted to take her in every way possible.

She moaned again, her fingers fisting his hair. She pushed herself into him, begging him with wordless sounds to continue his sweet torment, and he couldn’t resist any longer. He brought her to the floor, her skirts billowing around them. “I need you, Cassandra,” he breathed, shielding his incisors from her view.

She answered by arching her hips against his. “Take me. I want you desperately.”

He shoved her sleeves and bodice down her shoulders to her elbows, sucking in a sharp breath at the sight of her breasts. Lily white with pink tips and unbelievably perfect. He groaned and leaned down, capturing an erect nipple in his mouth.

Her soft cries fueled him; he needed to feel more of her, to taste her all over.

Dimitri brought his free hand down her leg, and slowly inched up her skirt, his fingers sliding over the silk of her hose until they brushed a lacy top. He grunted, pulling away to look at the top of a thigh-high stocking.

If it were possible, his cock strained even harder against his pants. He stroked his hand back up her thigh and his finger prodded the lace of her panties. Cassandra sighed, her head shifting, exposing her throat to him. He lowered himself over her, pushing her further into the floor and caressed her throat with his lips and tongue. Below, he slipped his fingers around silk and met pure satin flesh. She writhed beneath him as he teased and caressed her, pushing fingers into her heat. She was tight and hot; he knew she’d feel glorious around him when he was finally inside her.

The sensation of her, the scent of her arousal was too much. His lips settled over her pulse, licking, nipping until he sank his teeth into her tender flesh. Feeling her slight body jerk in his embrace, he heard her slight whimper, and her surrendering sigh of pleasure as he slowly drank of her. She tasted delicious, beyond anything he had ever experienced in life and in death. She was sweeter than honey, more intoxicating than the finest wine. He lost himself in her essence, taking in all of her memories, dreams, hurts, fears…everything that she was.
***

Cassie ran her hands through his hair, urging him on. His fingers felt wonderful as he moved them within her, gliding in and out, his thumb massaging the swollen flesh. She cried out as his mouth covered her breast one more time, suckling, nipping, then lavishing her throat with his wet kisses. She groaned and twitched at the sudden flash of white heat at her neck. Everything seemed to fall away and all she could focus on was ecstasy.

She came instantly, clinging to him, weeping as he brought her to another orgasm. She tried to pull away, but he held her tight. She might go mad at the pure delight ripping through her body until she became dizzy. She blinked rapidly, trying to focus. Everything was fuzzy around her.

Something was wrong. She tried to say his name, but couldn’t form the words. She tried to shove him from her, but her limbs felt heavy. Lethargy settled over her and Cassie found she wanted to let it carry her away into his welcoming embrace. Blackness closed in around her, starting at the edges of her vision and closing in, so that all she could see was darkness.

10:18 AM


Two Weeks Until

Eternal Embrace

Coming June 9th


CONTEST: I'll be posting excerpts for the rest of the week in celebration of Eternal Embrace's upcoming release on June 9th. Please stop by each day to read a new excerpt and make sure to leave at least one post one day this week. Along with your post please leave your email address so you can be entered for a chance to win. I'll be drawing 2 winners.
That's right...I said 2 winners!
Each winner will get a free download of Eternal Embrace and 1 of those winners will get an added bonus of a $10 Barnes & Noble gift card.

Also, if you'd like to read chapter one of Eternal Embrace and get in on other contests, updates, free reads, etc. please sign up for my newsletter by sending me an email at AnnLory@gmail.com.

Excerpt Day 1:


Time went slowly, each hour inching by, days turning to weeks without any sign of Dimitri. Cassie thought about him all the time and had made the decision to not go into the museum this morning, but to come directly to Dimitri’s house. She was anxious to complete her work so she could leave and never return to this place. If she could just get away from here, then she would be able to forget all about him.
Cassie looked up from her work in the study and saw Dimitri watching her. His black gaze seemed filled with such tenderness and yearning that she wanted to run to him, but she knew she must be imagining things because he had kept away all this time.
“Good evening, Cassandra.” He stepped into the room, filling it with his strong presence.
“What are you doing here?” she asked, suddenly nervous and resenting that fact immensely.
He arched one dark eyebrow. “I live here.” The amused smile made him look even more handsome and her heart ached.
“Sorry, guess that was a silly question.” She looked down at the papers on the desk. “Well, I was about ready to call it a night.” Quickly putting her items away, she stood and grabbed her things. “Have a good night.” Moving past him, she strode briskly down the hall and down the main staircase. “Cassandra, wait. Please.” She heard and felt him follow quickly on her heels. Stopping, she whirled around, willing herself not to show any emotion.
“Cassandra, I…” He laid his hands on her shoulders, frowning as if he were trying to find the right words, before he finally spoke again. “Please, will you take a walk with me?”
“If this is because you feel you owe me any explanations, don’t worry about it.”
“I only wish to speak with you. Please, come with me.”
She wanted to yell at him, but found herself nodding instead. He took her belongings and set them aside. Tucking her hand under his arm, he lead her outside and around to the back of the house. They came to the cliffs and steps that led to the beach below.
The night was clear and cool. Fall was finally here, and the stars twinkled like a thousand diamonds in the sky. As she and Dimitri moved along the shore, the surf from the ocean waves rushed up to meet them causing her to shiver.
“Are you cold?” His voice was low.
“A little.”
Slipping from his jacket, he placed it around her shoulders. The material enveloped her small frame, his heat radiated from it, seeping into her body. His scent filled her senses, making her almost dizzy with the emotions it evoked. Desire. Need. Lust.
He grasped her hand again as they continued their walk. “I’m sorry for the way I behaved the last time I saw you and for not being here the last several weeks.”
“What did I do?”
He spun around, grabbing her by the shoulders. “No. You did nothing. It was I in the wrong. Forgive me, but I’m not used to being around people. I have always been a very solitary man.”
She could see the pain in his eyes. “You may be used to being alone, but I don’t think you like it.”
Cassie pulled at his arm and brought him down to the sand. She sank to her knees beside him and did what she had wanted to do from the moment she first saw him. She opened her arms in invitation.
“You don’t have to be alone.” He looked down at her and struggled for balance as she fell into the black depths of his eyes.
His lips were mere inches from hers, his voice a husky whisper. “Cassandra…I’m not like other men. I’m not used to this…this intimacy.”
She shook her head, not understanding, her heart clenching in sudden dread. “You’re not…gay, are you?”
He actually laughed, the mood lifting slightly. “No, there is no fear of that. I’ve been straight for a very long time.”
Relived, Cassie smiled up at him. “I won’t leave you alone, Dimitri, I’ll be here for as long as you need me.”
The smile slipped from his lips and his breath was a mere sigh against her lips. His eyes darkened further if possible, desire flaring to new life there. “I will always need you.”
Then he kissed her, holding her tightly as if he would never let her go. His mouth was cool and searching, robbing her of her senses, and his touch a gentle caress that made her heart ache. She knew she belonged with him, that he was the man she had been waiting for her entire life. This big strong man who cradled her against him like she was a delicate flower, his hands gently stroking the column of her neck and the curve of her cheekbones.
***Remember: Please stop by each day to read a new excerpt and make sure to leave at least one post one day this week. Along with your post please leave your email address so you can be entered for a chance to win.

9:30 AM

Wednesday's Witty Words on Thursday

Having money is rather like being a blonde.
It is more fun but not vital.

- Mary Quant

10:20 AM

In the Author Spotlight & Contest
Belinda McBride


CONTEST: For those who leave a post, please make sure to add your email; I’ll contribute a free download of any book from my backlist to a randomly drawn comment.

AL: Hi Belinda! Thanks for being in the “Author Spotlight” this week.

Belinda: Hi Ann, and thanks so much for having me!

AL: So, tell us what’s happening with you.

Belinda: Well, I’ve been returning to the dog show ring with my Siberian Husky Levi. He just had a nice weekend of wins, so that’s really cool. Also, it’s fire season again in Northern California, so we’re starting to get fire ready.

AL: Space, fantasy, sci-fi oh my! What do you have currently for us to dig our teeth into?

Belinda: My current release is Belle Starr, at Loose Id. It’s a space opera, described as a “futuristic paranormal with a Wild West kick.”

AL: You write in several genres. Which one is nearest and dearest to your heart? Why?

Belinda: Definitely fantasy. I love the freedom to construct my own reality, and my own rules. That’s where my love of reading and writing started, so I enjoy returning to that genre as often as possible.

AL: What do you feel is the most important thing that a first-time author should know?

Belinda: Know your craft. An editor will not take you seriously if you don’t put together a well written story. Also, don’t let criticism hurt you, but be brave enough to learn from it.

AL: Do you put any of your personality, or that of your loved ones into your characters?

Belinda: I don’t know how a writer can avoid that. Maybe I’m not Belle Oakley, but I’d certainly like to be like her. There is one character in particular, Rose Lee from Little Dragon…my late mentor Mo inspired her character.

AL: Fun stuff! What is the strangest source of writing inspiration you’ve ever had?

Belinda: Ahem. Well, it was actually something that happened that inspired Belle Starr in the first place. I’d decided not to do werewolf stories because there are so many excellent authors out there doing it. Well. One night, two of my Siberians broke out of their respective enclosures and got busy under my bedroom window. I was too late to prevent the tie, but still I sat out in the rain and mud making sure they finished the experience safely. During that hour or so, I watched the behavior of the other dogs, and how they worked in a protective unit around the breeding couple. In particular, the male (who was my alpha) was protected by a younger male. That inspired the pack structure in Belle Starr. About that time, I realized that I have so much experience around primitive dogs and wolf hybrids, that I really should try shifters on for size.

AL: Your Empress of the Space Station, describe your perfect man.

Belinda: Ah…do I have to limit it to one? I mean…I’m the Empress, right? Let’s see, I’ll order up the obligatory tall dark and handsome alpha male, but there’s got to be a raffish rogue to give him some humor. And a sweet young thing just to get the pot boiling…

AL: Best movie you’ve seen recently?

Belinda: Milk. I was in high school when Harvey Milk was assassinated, and it’s one of those memories that really developed some of my world views. They did an excellent job with that film.

AL: Star Trek, or Star Wars?

Belinda: I first saw Star Wars in an early morning matinee in Hollywood. It blew my socks off! So I’m a classic Star Wars fan.

AL: Please share a favorite quote(s) with us.

Belinda: Mo often said, “Time wounds all heels.” She was right, even when I happen to be the heel in question. And from Gandhi: An eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind.”

AL: Thanks so much for sharing with joining us this week, Belinda.

Belinda: Thanks very much, Ann!
AL: If you'd like to find out more about Belinda and her other works please visit:
Featured Title:

BLURB:
Marshal Annabelle “Cowgirl” Oakley is the best law enforcement officer in Interstellar Coalition Enforcement. With her wolf Tucker at her side, Belle is clearly the best man for the job. Unfortunately, the job comes with hazards, and one of those hazards comes in the shape of tall, mysterious Armand.

Armand de le Croix is a werewolf with amnesia. He has no idea how he came to be living in Coalition space, he doesn’t know where his people are, or why his inky black hair is now snowy white. He just knows that the tall, dangerous redhead is all that he wants, and he means to have her. When they meet, it’s magic. When they part, its mayhem.
EXCERPT: (Warning NC17 - Sexual Situation)
“Do you have rooms?” She almost didn’t recognize her own voice; it was that husky and sexed up.

The bartender’s eyes raked over her body, and then shifted up to the next level of the bar. “By the hour and by the day.”

She nodded, noting that his eyes were on her lips. A spike of arousal shot through her cunt. She normally didn’t think of her body that way, but she was like a bitch in heat and was pared down to her most primal. Part of her wanted to pit the men against each other, winner take all.

Better yet, first come, first served. Line ’em up, Lucky.

Belle paid for three nights and pocketed the key. Her long coat swishing around her ankles, she rose from the bar and headed for the doorway to the stairs, taking her beer along for the ride. Belle turned, leaning in the doorway, surveying her choices. From across the room, she could smell sour sweat on the big dark man. He’d have to shower first, and she wasn’t in the mood to wait. Her glance fell on the blond. They made eye contact, and he straightened, setting down his cards. And then he picked them up again, returning to his game. He pointedly ignored her.

What the fuck?

She was so distracted that she missed the movement in the dark hall to her back. An amateur’s mistake.

Without warning, a hard body pressed up against hers, a pair of hands circling around to cup her breasts. Warm breath feathered her hair, sending shivers up and down her sensitive flesh. His fragrance was wild and heady, and his cock was hot and hard when he pressed it against her bottom. A Were, fully aroused. Her heart dropped. Her pussy cheered. Her beer slipped from her hand. He caught it, lifting it to take a long drink.

“Slumming, bébé?” His voice was gravelly, harsh. His head dipped down to her neck, and he took a deep breath. “Ah…you’ve been exposed to Matruscan ladies… Their scent has brought your own ripe time. Poor little bébé.”

What was his accent? Belle carried a southern American accent courtesy of her family. His was not French, not southern. Cajun? It was a dead culture, but that’s what it sounded like.

“You looking for a male to slake your needs?” He was fully against her body now, his hips still pressed against her bottom, moving in rhythm with his hands as he kneaded her breasts through the leather.
She should kill him right now. Spin and plant her knife… God…she could feel the heat of his body through the leather coat! Her eyes fluttered, and lust shot through her system, making her dizzy and weakening her knees.

“I come with you to your room now -- forget those ones. They’re boys, can’t take care of a woman like you.” His hands were under the coat, wandering, exploring. She could smell him; he was clean male, his own pheromones calling to hers. Her eyes dropped closed, and her lips parted. Without letting her turn to face him, the stranger walked her backward to the staircase, one step at a time.

He was taller than she, and stronger. The knowledge gave her goose bumps, triggering a primal, thrilling fear. Few men, if any, were stronger than Belle. It was just her genetic code. It was what made her good at what she did.

He swung around behind her, following her up the stairs. She still hadn’t seen his face, but his scent was melting her body. She felt her arousal slip from her channel, smearing between her thighs. He stopped her on the stairs and pushed aside the skirt of the coat, pressing his cheek into her buttocks.

“Oh, bébé, you smell so sweet, and it’s for me, isn’t it?” His hands were up the short skirt, fingers trailing through her moisture. He dropped the skirt of her coat, allowing her to move forward again. A few more steps and they reached the landing. Her hand trembled as she inserted the old-fashioned keycard into the door.

He followed her in, placing a hand over hers as she reached to switch on a light. He paused and scented the air. She should have known she’d draw a Were; even on a good day, they seemed to find her. Normally, she’d avoid them, but he was exactly what she needed.

The Were turned her to face him, and she studied him in the filtered light of the room. He was well made, handsome, and strong featured. But the Were generally were an attractive species. What surprised her was his age. His face was youthful, but not young, and his hair was silvery white, cropped close to his head, lying in artistic disarray. She wondered how long it took in front of a mirror to create that look. His eyes were vivid, arctic blue. And he was tall.

Gigantic. In bare feet, Belle measured six feet three, minimum. Add the stiletto heels she wore, and she towered over most men. She liked it that way, generally preferring men of lesser height. Belle was honest with herself; she was a little more on the Alpha side than not. But this man was looking down into her eyes. His shoulders were not bulky, but much wider than hers. His hard, hot cock rested against her lower belly, where he gently rocked against her, firing up her instincts.

Without a word, he lowered his head to kiss her, hands coming up to the back of her skull, one wandering to her face, stroking her chin. Her lips parted eagerly, and he stroked his tongue inside of her warm mouth, exploring her teeth, coming back out to lick her upper lip, nipping before kissing it gently. She watched his face, seeing the lids drop blissfully over his eyes as he nuzzled into her hair, trailing warm kisses down her throat, up to her ear.

He found that sweet spot on the back of her neck that made her legs buckle when he stepped around behind her and slipped her coat to the floor. The dress came next, and she dropped her head back to his chest as first his hands and then his lips explored her arms, her waist, the valley between her breasts.

Without warning, he grasped her arms tightly, raising them over her head, and he bit, bearing down hard into the soft skin of her ribcage. She jerked, moaned, and sighed as he gently licked the spot.

“I’m sorry, bébé. The wolf wants domination. You are very powerful; we want your surrender.”
Wolf. She’d hoped he’d be wolf, although she wasn’t sure why. He was at her neck again, whispering words she didn’t understand that raised goose bumps on her skin. His hands came up, cupping her breasts, circling the nipples into full erection until she cried out with the sensation, her body jerking away.

“You will stand still while I touch, bébé.” The warning came as a stern but gentle whisper. His head dropped to her neck again, and he pushed her head forward, placing his teeth threateningly over the nape of her neck. He bore down, and the pain was exquisite, bringing a moan to her lips. He suddenly dropped to his knees and bit again, this time on her buttock, causing her to cry out. But she didn’t move.

He stood, towering over her, controlling her. His big, rough hand skimmed over her bottom, then around to her belly, pulling her against his groin, grinding his cock between her buttocks.

“I smell another man on you, chère. Did he make you feel good? Did he make you feel like this?” His voice sounded like gravel wrapped in velvet. It frightened her. Thrilled her. Took her breath away.

She shook her head, unable to speak.

“Do you want to feel me against you? My skin against yours?”

She nodded.

“I didn’t hear you.” He pulled her tighter against his body.

“I want to feel you. Please.”

Who was that? Surely that wasn’t her voice, husky and moaning, pleading.

He pressed his mouth against her shoulder. “Turn around, bébé. Take off my shirt.” She swiveled in his arms, slightly unsteady on the heels. He wore a high-necked shirt, skintight. She could see every muscle, every curve and valley beneath the jet-black fabric. The sleeves stopped at the midpoint of his muscular biceps. Belle tugged the shirt from his denims and slipped it over his head. She gasped. His broad, muscular torso was the stuff that dreams were made of. Wet dreams, anyway. A wide scar skated over his ribcage. Another rested low on his belly, near his hip. She wanted to taste it. She wanted to rub her face against it, losing herself in his scent.

“Take off my boots and pants.”

She knelt, and he helped with the boots, toeing them loose. She stood again to unbutton the tight, black jeans. When she lowered them down his lean hips, his cock sprang loose, hard and ready.
Belle didn’t think of herself as a connoisseur of male sex organs, but his was beyond nice. It was beautiful. The head was long and flared gracefully, and his erect cock curved upward to his stomach. It was not quite human. It wasn’t straight, it curved, and the thought of what it would do inside of her…

While there was little hair on his body, the nest around his penis was thick and dark, an unusual contrast to the silver hair on his head. Once he stepped out of his jeans, she moved close, letting her fingers trail over his cock, down to his heavy balls. She was wet. She was ready. She was more than ready…but before they got down to business…
CONTEST: Remember, for those who leave a post, please make sure to add your email; I’ll contribute a free download of any book from my backlist to a randomly drawn comment.

1:24 PM

Wednesday's Witty Words on Thursday

A woman's rule of thumb:
If it has tires or testicles,
you're going to have trouble with it.

- Women's rest room, Dick's Last Resort, Dallas, TX

10:48 AM


In the Author Spotlight & Contest

Sheri Lewis Wohl


CONTEST: The Villainess Goody Bag Giveaway. I love the question about what kind of villain I would like to be, and I’d love to hear what everyone else is thinking too. Leave a comment with your thoughts on what kind of villain you would be and on Sunday, May 10th, I’ll do a random drawing (I always make the hubby draw the name). The winner will receive a goody bag with candy, candles and other assorted fun stuff.


AL: Hi Sheri! Thanks for being in the “Author Spotlight” this week.

Sheri: Thanks for having me here this week. I’m looking forward to the week and hoping that sunshine might finally grace us here in NE Washington State. It was a long, cold and snowy winter, and so far has been a very cool spring. We’re ready for the sunshine.

AL: So, tell us what’s happening with you.

Sheri: Well, I’m gearing up for the summer and the RWA nationals in D.C. I’m presenting my workshop, Evil 101, and am really looking forward to the trip. Washington D.C. is one of my favorite places in this country and I’m always excited to make the cross-country trip. I’m also hoping for some warm weather so I can get my garden planted. I’m not much of a yard or flower person, but I do love the vegetable garden. I take care of the garden and hubby takes care of the lawn. Not a bad deal when you consider the garden is only 10x6 and the yard is an acre and a half of grass!

AL: What do you have for us to read?

Sheri: I’ve brought you a bit of NECURATUL, the first book in the NECURATUL trilogy. You’ll meet Catherine “Cat” Lohr, a Canadian psychic and evil hunter who is a member of the ancient order of Anima Mundi. Along with her shape shifter lover and Spokane Indian, Adam Bell, they follow the trail of the original Blood Countess, Elizabeth Bathory, who has returned and is hell-bent on creating havoc. There’s danger as well as passion and romance all rolled up in contemporary setting.

AL: You have a shelf of paranormals. What got you hooked on this genre?

Sheri: I always tell people it was actually a movie that got me good and hooked. I remember clearly the day I sat all alone in front of the television watching the original version of The House on Haunted Hill. Scared the crap out of me and from that day on, I could never get enough of ghosts, vampires, werewolves, or anything else that goes bump in the night.

AL: It looks like you’ve done your share of workshops at different conventions. What is the most common question asked? What is one of the more original questions you’ve gotten in your evil session 101?

Sheri: No matter the topic of the workshop, there are actually two common questions I get: “where do you get your ideas for the stories?” and “how do you work in federal finance all day and then switch over and write paranormals by night?” Some of the most original questions come near the end of my Evil 101 workshop when I speak of encountering evil face-to-face or as I title that section, Evil in the Face of a Friend.

AL: Who are some of your favorite authors?

Sheri: I read pretty much everything but for a few of my favorites, Stephen King, Dean Koontz, Kay Hooper, Iris Johansen, James Patterson, Edgar Allan Poe, and my all-time favorite, Daphne Du Maurier.

AL: What do you like best about writing? What is your least favorite thing?

Sheri: The creative process in developing the story fascinates me and it’s fun to see where the story is going. You think you know when you start and often the story has a different idea. What drives me nuts is the rewriting. I’m okay with the first couple of rounds of revisions but by the time I get to three or four, I’m grinding my teeth.

AL: Now for some of the really fun stuff. If you had to write yourself as a villain, what kind of villain would you be? What would you be named?

Sheri: Since I did my Masters Thesis on a vampire story (an 1872 lesbian vampire story no less), I think I’d almost have to be a vampire. My name would be: Aella, which means “whirlwind” in Greek.

AL: You are told you have to meet one paranormal creature, no safeguards, what do you choose? What do you bring with you?

Sheri: Because I’m a big dog person, I’d choose a shape-shifter who takes the form of a wolf. I’d just bring me – after all, he’ll know a dog person when he sees her, right?

AL: Who do you want to keep you warm at night; something cold and dead, or warm and furry? Beware…they’re both gorgeous, but they’ve been known to bite.

Sheri: Oh that’s hard…If you could get me a vampire who looks something like Nick St. John in Moonlight—sign me up. On the other hand, if you’ve read my book NECURATUL, I’d definitely be amenable to shape shifter Adam Bell. Perhaps a threesome??

AL: If there’s one place in the world you could go that wouldn’t break the pocket book, where would it be and why?

Sheri: I’ve got my heart set on Romania. I know that sounds strange but given that I’ve been fascinated with vampires for so long and given my choice in graduate education, it’s got to be the homeland of the historical Vlad Dracula.

AL: With Spring upon us, what’s some of your favorite things about the season?

Sheri: The sunshine is the best and also, I’ve got a beautiful 1940 Ford pickup that I just wait for the nice weather so that I can take it out.

AL: Please share a favorite quote(s) with us.

Sheri: I don’t know who said but I’ve had it taped to my desk for years: Courage does not always roar. Sometimes it is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, “I will try again tomorrow.”

AL: Thanks so much for sharing with joining us this week, Sheri. If you'd like to find out more about Sheri and other current and upcoming reads please visit:


FEATURED TITLE:

Blurb:
As they said in the movies: the bitch is back! When the sixteenth century, blood bathing psychopath, Elizabeth Bathory, makes her triumphant return to the 21st century, it is a trio of hunters from the ancient order of Anima Mundi who must stop her. For the leader, Martin Ludlum, the clock is ticking and this hunt will be his last. For his two powerful protégées, Catherine “Cat” Lohr and Adam Bell, it is the most dangerous. A single misstep and unrestrained evil will be let loose on an ill-prepared world.
For Cat and Adam the danger lies not only in the evil that is Elizabeth Bathory but also in the growing love that must be resolved between them. Spunky and outspoken, Cat is a Canadian psychic with phenomenal powers and the last thing she needs is to be in love with the shape-shifting Spokane Indian. Adam has none of her qualms and knows what he wants and how to get it. After an awkward interlude during a previous hunt in Romania, Cat is embarrassed to face Adam again but love and lust push her towards her destiny.
Bathory has other ideas not the least of which is picking up and carrying on in her bloody deeds. She is beautiful and cunning. And, she is looking for the man who had imprisoned her yet again fifty years earlier: Martin Ludlum. In the unlikely setting of Spokane, Washington, the hunters follow the bodies, searching for a woman with the black soul that refuses to die.

Excerpt:
“Okay, I’ll buy the part about not taking sex with another member lightly but mate for life? That’s a bit of stretch, Adam. Besides, do you think maybe I can have a say in that?”
His comeback was as simple as it was firm. “Alphas pick their mates.”
“Okay, okay, okay,” she muttered, both annoyed and flattered all at the same time. “Maybe that’s true in your werewolf, shape shifter, tribal, pack thing or whatever it is, but I’m just your basic Canadian psychic, eh, and it’s a little more complicated than that in my world.”
“I don’t think so.”
Her hours of practiced speeches had all been chock full of logic and so far nothing had gone even close to how she’d imagined. In fact, things were beginning to border on crazy. Granted, Adam was a guy who didn’t waste words and he was holding true to form tonight. This whole mate for life thing he was throwing her way was taking things too far, regardless of how her body was reacting, traitor that it was. It was close to impossible to be logical and practical when she was fighting the urge to rip off all her clothes. Even so, she had to give it the old college try. There was much at stake here that involved many more than her and wolf boy.
“I think I’ve got some say in this,” she tried again, hoping she sounded more confident than she felt.
He smiled that annoying smile that damn him, lit her on fire and said, “I think you did.”
“Oh, hell,” she muttered giving up. “Damn you, Adam.”
Remeber to leave you "villian" post for the contest in order for a chance to win. :-D