She was determined to make her painting a success. For now she shared a large warehouse space in Queen Anne with two other people and she had lots of free time to paint and enough money from her waitressing job to buy canvas and paint and to pay the bills.

Shaking herself out of her reverie with a sigh, she grabbed Shane’s order and his latte to take to his table. The lively chimes over the door sounded right as she turned. Smiling, she looked to see who’d come in.

Instead of one of her usual customers, she found herself looking at two of the largest men she’d ever seen and my goodness weren’t they just the alpha male specimens? Her mouth dried up and her heart leapt into her throat.

Her eyes slowly made the circuit up one and down the other. They were a visual feast. One of them had shoulder-length hair the color of wheat, sleepy, sexy amber eyes and was, for want of a more eloquent term, a muscle-bound hunk.

The other though was the kind of man to make any woman melt into a puddle. Dark and mysterious. Brooding even. His nearly waist-length black … read more ->

Belle let the heat of the alcohol settle into her, bringing a languid fluidity to her muscles. She sighed and looked at the man in bed with her.

“You’re really gorgeous, you know that?”

“I like it when you’ve been drinking, Belle.” He winked and she snorted.

“Whatever. You were going to tell me why you’re suddenly interested in my bases after giving me sweaters for Christmas for the last dozen years.”

He grabbed her ankle and yanked, pulling her down as he rolled on top of her. Wow, he was good.

His mouth met hers, insistent, wet and hot. It was just the two of them, no worries about someone walking into the hallway. She let go of her control and gave in, sliding her hands up his arms, over his shoulders and into his hair. Soft, so soft and cool against her skin.

Heat licked at her insides when his tongue confidently invaded her mouth. When he rolled his hips, she moved, wrapping one of her calves around his ass, opening herself to him and holding him in place.

He broke the kiss, and looked into her face. “Just making sure you’re still with me. I think about … read more ->

Mei wiped the sweat from her brow and dusted her hands on the front of her pants. Leaning over, she grabbed the darkling by the cuffs at the small of his back and hauled him to his feet. The muscles in her arms flexed with her exertion to keep the thing still.

He sniveled and growled but with the magical cuffs on his wrists, he wasn’t able to use his dark powers against her. Truth was, she’d had it to hell and back with scum like lesser demons and her hatred was what had kept her victorious over them for the last several thousand years.

“Brimstone. I hate brimstone.” She wrinkled her nose in distaste and sifted them both to the Donovan’s antechamber.

“Ah, lovely Mei.” Carl Donovan, a man of indeterminate age despite the appearance of a fortyish college professor, smiled at her as he approached. “Successful as always, I see. This is the lesser we sent you after last week? Quick work.”

She handed him the paperwork that gave her permission from the council to hunt and capture the darkling she’d brought back. “It’s him. I caught up with him in Boston.. Had to chase his stinky ass … read more ->

She took both mugs and led the way down the hall to her bedroom. He watched as she placed them on the small table in the corner and turned shyly.

She laughed. “You sure you don’t want to run away?”

He got serious and shook his head. “I don’t want anything but to be inside you, Tate Murphy.” He paused. “”You don’t have any idea what you do to me do you?”

“I don’t understand it. Why me?”

Remaining there in the doorway he watched as she took a nervous sip of the coffee. Took in the slight tremble of her hands as she did.

“Sweetness, I want you so much I think I’m going to have a stroke. All the blood in my body is now in one spot and I’m slightly dizzy from it,” he said with a rueful grin as he motioned toward his cock. “Can I show you how much I want you? What you do to me? Again? Because if you recall, we were in a similar situation last weekend. Only now we’ve got condoms.”

She nodded, staying silent. He took one step and then another and another until he reached her. He switched on … read more ->

Prologue

Kari Warner walked down the alley, well aware that something was following her. No, not following—stalking. The alley was wide and the sounds of her heels as she moved along quickly echoed through it, bouncing from the dingy walls back at her. Heart in her throat, her quick walk became a slow run. Fear choked her as she heard the corresponding quickening of the footsteps of her pursuer. Cursing her stupidity, she sent out a brief prayer, exchanging chocolate for safety.

Leaving the nightclub a few minutes before, she’d known she should’ve taken the long way. But she’d been so tired and had opted for the shortcut through the alley. She’d gone that way a dozen times before.

She felt the weight of eyes on her, watching, measuring, waiting. The corner and the streetlight were only half a block away. Hope bloomed in her chest as she began to believe she was going to make it. The light cried safe haven. She held on to the light like a lifeline.

Suddenly a low growl split the air and the hair on her arms stood on end. A queer electric hum began at the base of her … read more ->

“Now, I don’t have any desire to top you twenty-four hours a day. I only want your submission in the bedroom.”

“Good. Because I don’t take orders except there.”

He smiled in a way that promised very wicked things.

“I want you to get up, remove your clothes and then lead me to your bedroom.”

Standing on somewhat shaky legs, Tegan leaned over, pulled her boots off and slid out of her skirt. The sweater followed and Ben looked her over as she stood in her bra and barely there panties.

“My God, you’re so beautiful.” His voice was smoky and hoarse, it stroked over her senses and soothed her even as it seduced.

One hand popped the catch between her breasts and her bra fell to the ground. She stepped out of her panties as she walked from the room, feeling absolutely gorgeous. He made her feel so beautiful and sexy just by looking at her.

Once in the bedroom she stood next to her bed, waiting.

He came in and dropped the duffel just next to the bedside table and walked around her body. “Let’s get warmed up, shall we?” He turned her body so that she was … read more ->

Jaac Sarne looked into the face of the only woman he’d ever loved and the only woman whose loss had ever mattered. Fifteen years without hearing her voice or her laughter. Her magic had gone and the world was a darker place without her. Literally.

She stood there in the doorway without speaking.

“Aren’t you going to bid me enter?”

“Stop talking like that. No. Go away.” She tried to close the door on him but he blocked it with his foot.

“I need to talk to you, Sa’Rhea. Please.”

“Don’t call me that. I’m Rhea Harris now.” She spoke low and looked out past him, making sure no one had overheard the exchange.

“Who is it? Oh shit…” Sarai came to a halt when she caught sight of Jaac. In the stillness of the moment, Rhea took him in. He was the mirror opposite of his brother. Dark where Paul had been fair, tall and broad where Paul had been thin and athletic. Deep eyes as dark as midnight stared back at her.

“He was just leaving,” Rhea hissed.

“No he wasn’t.” Sarai pushed past Rhea. Grabbing his arm, she yanked him into the apartment and closed the door, … read more ->

“The hurt anger in her eyes was irresistible and drew his fingers to touch the warm flesh of her cheek. She jerked away and he shook his head slowly. “Don’t think you can hold yourself away from me, Lissette.” His eyes glittered with their otherworldly magic as he said it.

“Don’t you pull out your vampire mojo! I told you, we’re over.” Her back was to the bar, the scent of his skin wafted into her face. She adored the way he smelled—that combination of man and his cologne and soap. It was extremely difficult not to fall under his spell.

“We are not over, Lissie. You and I have had a misunderstanding but we will work it out. And you know there is nothing between Cherry and me. There hasn’t been since the first moment I laid my eyes on you. And it may amuse you to know she claims that you have grown on her. She even gave me a lecture for making you upset.”

Closing her eyes a moment against his appeal, she stomped her boot frustratedly. “Why are you doing this? Damn it, Stryker! Get out of here. You are no longer welcome in my bar … read more ->

He shifted beside her and her heart kicked in her chest.

“Liv,” he said softly and it was as if another woman’s hands screwed the top of the water on and placed the bottle aside. She turned to face him and couldn’t stop a swift intake of breath when she found him so very close.

“There you are.” He smiled lazily. “You’re so damned sexy I don’t quite know where to start. But I figure the lips are the best first step.”

Surely, he moved, closing the last few inches between them. Warm, lush lips covered hers. His hand slid up her back, fingertips teasing her spine and then to her neck and into her hair. He cradled her head, holding her just how he wanted as he deepened the kiss from slow exploration to hungry plunder.

His tongue feathered the seam of her lips and flowed inside when she opened to him. Warm and sinuous, his tongue slid along hers. He kissed not so much with aggression but he knew what he was about and he didn’t hesitate with it. He took what he wanted and gave back in spades.

Liv wasn’t shy sexually, she believed very strongly that … read more ->

Distracted by a bar full of customers, it took some moments before she really saw him. Savage satisfaction coursed through Rhett as he noted that she recognized him. Not just from the author reading but on a deeper level of connection and recognition. She halted for a moment there in the middle of the bar and he watched her struggle to get past that shock.

Her eyes focused on him again and he sent her a slow, sexy smile, pleased that she had to visibly struggle to get hold of herself and calmly continue over to him.

“Your friend is waiting for you over there.” She pointed to Nate. “I…I’ll be over to check on you in just a minute.”

He took her hand—the hand she’d been flapping around in her distress—and kissed the knuckles, inhaling her, and her scent shot through his system like a drug. Jesus. He closed his eyes for a moment and let go of her hand.

“Thank you,” he murmured. Leaving her stunned, he walked over to the bar where Nate was watching him with one eyebrow raised.

“Hey, how was Atlanta?” Rhett asked without preamble as he hopped up onto the barstool.

“Fuck Atlanta. … read more ->