First, I’d like to wish everyone celebrating a very Happy Easter. Though I couldn’t be with my children this holiday I did send each of them an easter basket full of candy…because I just can’t give it up!
If you’re keeping track of my crazy house hunt, Mr. Nina and I made an offer on a house that required quite a bit to upgrade and bring back into shape because the former owners passed away and it’s currently sitting empty. Unfortunately the powers that be who are running the estate didn’t think our offer was reasonable and walked away without discussing it. I think that house will be empty for a looooong time. (Though I told my realtor if they come to their senses…we’d still be willing to talk to them.) Anyhoodles, that means Mr. Nina and I are going back to the drawing board and will be house hunting some more.
In the “better news” category, I got a wonderful review for MAID FOR MASTER from Nocturne Romance Reads. Rayna gave it 4.5 hoots and has this to say…
Pierce has this enigmatic way of pulling the reader into her stories and Maid for Master does not disappoint. You get thrown right into a hot BDSM resort complete with role playing, one on one Dom/Sub relationships and to boot, a beautiful story line to follow. Readers not only get to be enticed with hot steamy sex scenes but also get to see a blossoming love relationship between the H/H…A tantalizing story! I suggest running a bubble bath and settle in for a while with this hot steamy read.
Yep, I’m snoopy dancing. How about a brand new EXCERPT to celebrate?
Claire’s bare feet tread steadily along the sandy path. Shafts of sunlight flickered in the cool shadows of the palm fronds. Lush leaves of thick underbrush tickled along her breasts and belly, raising goose flesh. Never had she been so aware of the sensations playing over her body. Even as the warm breath of the ocean breeze danced with her hair, caressing her sensitized skin like a lover’s touch, peaking her nipples and stroking her damp folds, Claire tried not to condemn herself for what she was about to do.
Determination winning out over uncertainty, she focused on her desires rather than the process. Soon there would be no sheltered path to hide her nudity. No way for her to deny her darkest fantasies. No opportunity for her to turn from her Master’s command.
But she would not deny him. Could not deny him.
He’d understood that before she’d been conscious of the thought.
Everything about the man demanded her attention. His presence filled a room and stole her breath. His touch shivered through her. Her body was never sated, always yearning for another caress, another stroke of those long fingers—another brush of his lips. But it was the sensual authority in his voice that captivated. Even a mere whisper thundered through her veins, pushing her to obey.
It was that voice Claire had heard when she’d read the beautiful script of a controlled hand. As clearly as if he’d been standing at the door to her suite commanding her submission, the timbre pulsed hot need straight to her pussy.
Claire,
It has been too many hours since I last touched you, breathed the heady scent of your arousal, tasted my sweat on your lips. My cock hardens at the thought of you strapped to my bench, your flesh laced with the red streaks of my flogger and your luscious mouth sucking me deep. Join me at my luncheon in two hours at the Masters’ lodge behind the main building. Bring nothing but the gifts I have given you.
Master Xavier
She hoped she had not misunderstood. Had he intended for her only to bring the gold band and the leather collar she wore? As she broke through the protective barrier of the foliage and rejoined the main stone walking path, Claire realized it didn’t matter. She’d made her choice.
Today is the release of my FREE read from Ellora’s Cave, MATING BONDS. This short story is part of the Shifting Bonds series and gives readers who haven’t had a chance to meet Cole, Zane and Jayda a little taste of their relationship.
Here’s the BLURB:
Danger threatens at every turn in Lonesome Forks. Just for one night, Jayda, Zane and Cole want to put the politics of warring shifters aside and enjoy the carnal pleasures of their mated triad.
Tempted into shifting and lured into the Montana forest by pride leader Zane Brodan, polymorphic shifter Jayda Kynslan can’t resist her cougar mate’s seduction. And when wolf leader Cole Takoda joins the fun, what’s a gal to do but give herself over to her animal urges and enjoy the lustful temptations offered by both her mates.
And a short Excerpt:
Zane kept himself between the police chief and Jayda. “You always sneak up on people, Takoda?”
“No sneaking required. I drove the police truck most of the way up the fire road. Walked the last hundred yards, breaking sticks and shuffling leaves.” He shrugged. “But I guess you weren’t listening for crickets or…wolves, were you, Brodan? Not a good way to protect your woman.”
Zane relaxed and sat back down on the ledge. “We figured all the wolves were tied up. Wasn’t there a council meeting tonight?”
“We figured you’d be tied up for another couple of hours.” Jayda stood and brushed the moss and leaves from her bottom and thighs. In the blue wash of the moon, she knew the police chief could see every inch of her curvaceous body.
“Well, there is…er…was a meeting,” Cole stammered. “But they kept going round and round about the same things.” Cole cocked his head, no doubt studying her as she finger combed loose debris out of her long hair. “I was tired of arguing and sent everyone home.”
She stepped around Zane, walking slowly toward Cole. “Well, we’re glad you found us.” Oh, how she loved teasing her wolf mate. It had been just over a year since he’d shown her the animals living inside her. Who would have known she was a polymorphic shifter with the ability to be human, cougar and wolf? Now she had two men showing her all the things her body should have learned decades ago.
“Still, you two should be a little more cautious. I have no doubt some of the pack is riled up and looking for trouble.”
“Well, Zane’s woman can protect herself against the big, bad wolves,” she said as she stood in front of Cole, her breasts brushing the soft fabric of his uniform. “I was pretty sure she proved that tonight.” Jayda leaned in, pressing a chaste kiss on his bottom lip.
But as she expected, he would have none of the softness she offered.
~~~~~~~~~
If you enjoy this short read you can discover how it all began with BONDED SOULS
I’m participating in Whipped Cream’s SPRING FLING. They’re giving away a KINDLE, NOOK or $150 Giftcard to one lucky commenter at the end of this month. GO HERE to check out my post about May/December relationships. Leave a comment and you’re entered.
You can also visit the other posts and comment there as well. Every comment on every post is an entry … Good luck!
This week Black Raven Reviews gave MAID FOR MASTER four Ravens and MacKenzie had this to say…
Nina Pierce did a great job of bringing these characters to life; really taking her readers on a journey along with both Claire and Jonathon. The location was breathtakingly detailed; the characters well developed. The erotic scenes were intense as well as sensual. Every scene drove us toward the ending at a steady forward pace…With such great details, I hope that Ms. Pierce might one day revisit these characters. I’m sure that Claire’s brother, Jonathon’s best friend, could use a soul-mate too. *grin*
If you’re looking for a fun novella with intriguingly hot BDSM scenes and seriously passionate moments, then be sure to check out Maid for Master by Nina Pierce.
A TOUCH OF LILLY finalled in RWA’s Passionate Ink’s Passionate Plume contest. w00t! w00t!
I thought I’d leave you with an Excerpt:
Some emotion she couldn’t decipher marred Dallas’s brow. “I want to help you,” he said. “But I can’t keep you safe if I don’t know everything.” He brushed hair from her face. “Thaegan mentioned some myth, but I’m thinking it’s much more than that.”
The man was an enigma. She wanted to believe the compassion in his voice was real, but the hard set of his jaw communicated something entirely different. But when it came right down to it, she wanted someone to know. Someone who could share her burden without judgment. Lilly had no idea if Dallas was that person, but sitting here, bound and naked, she figured she really didn’t have a whole hell of a lot more to lose.
“She was my great-great-grandmother. It’s barely a part of me.” Lilly looked down. Even with Dallas’ hand warm on her shoulder, there was shame in the telling.
His finger came under her chin and gently lifted it. She had no choice but to stare into the chocolate pools of his eyes. “Then it’s not your fault. Whatever it is, the responsibility belongs to someone else.” His thumb brushed over her lips. “The beginning. Start at the beginning. I have no idea what it is. What you are.”
Confusion and frustration warred within her. How could he not know? The answers were as obvious as her beaded nipples and the dizzying aroma of her arousal. Dallas was so close she could feel his body heat pressing against her, making it hard to fill her lungs. Yet the man seemed immune to the sexual energy crackling between them. Even without trying, her own arousal was usually enough to affect any male close to her and drive one with his hands on her to sexual delirium.
“I mean…you’re very obviously human.” One side of Dallas’ mouth curved, the dimple dancing. “But there’s something that makes you special.” His hand brushed up her face to cup her cheek and she couldn’t stop herself from leaning into it. “I just want to understand it.”
His gaze searched her face, settled on her lips and Lilly thought for a moment he might kiss her. She wanted to feel the heat of his mouth on hers. Instead, he dropped his hand, rubbing them both on his jeans. “Just please explain to me what Thaegan was talking about.”
Even that slight rejection stung. Seduction and escape no longer mattered. What Lilly needed now was Dallas—a human man to accept who she was. Filling her lungs with courage, she stared straight ahead, unable to witness his revulsion as she recalled the story her mother had told her the night of her first menses. “Serapheliums are an ancient race. They came from another galaxy, hundreds of light years from where we are now. It’s said they resembled humans, but their beauty was unmatched. Gods bowed down to their perfection and angels sang at their births.” She chanced a look at Dallas and shrugged, embarrassment heating her cheeks.
“I can see the resemblance.”
She laughed out her disbelief. “Yeah, whatever.”
I’d like to welcome my guest TRACY COOPER POSEY. Tracy is a multi-published author of erotic paranormal, romantic suspense and urban fantasy romance. (And the very talented web designer who helped me revamp my blog.) Take it away Tracy …
Hot plum pudding with brandy sauce. Or for North Americans, pumpkin pie fresh out of the oven, and ice cream or custard. Fresh home-made cookies, or a cake cooling in the kitchen…you can smell them all over the house.
Have you ever stepped into the home of someone cooking mulled wine? Red wine steeped with spices and sugars…the smell is unforgettable. So is the taste (and my mouth is flooding with saliva even as I write this!)
Croissants in Paris, with butter and real European coffee, hot and with that caramel smell that you only get from African beans.
Tart fruit stewed in its own juices, with cloves and cinnamon to bring out the flavours.
Chicken or turkey, ham or beef, slow cooking all day in the oven for a big family dinner, and all the dishes that go along with it and their aromas that start drifting from the kitchen from lunchtime onwards.
Waking up to the smell of toast, bacon, hash browns, eggs, waffles and coffee in the morning.
The sharp, thick smell of deep fried anything at fairs and sideshows.
Food is with us constantly. You might think you only eat three times a day, but cues for eating and drinking waft past you endlessly, all day long. Smells, sounds, images bombard you, making non-stop suggestions to eat or drink this, that or the other, and most of it isn’t commercial advertising. You probably snack, bite, sip and nibble dozens of times a day without realizing it, and you think about eating and drinking hundreds of times a day. If you’ve ever struggled to lose weight you’ll understand this concept only too well.
Humans are designed to take in a certain level of calories per day in order to maintain body functions and provide energy to keep the body moving, so this obsession with food is built into our genes and psyches. It’s a survival mechanism.
Consider, then, the poor vampire who, after twenty or thirty or more years of uninhibited eating and drinking, suddenly has his food supply abruptly cut off. All he gets to imbibe is blood. Now blood may well meet all his nutritional needs in his vampire form, but depending on which authors’ universe and which type of vampire you’re dealing with, he might still have all or most of his human instincts and psychology intact.
Which means that even if he doesn’t get hungry, per se, he’s going to still get bombarded by the same thousands of daily subliminal “eat!” and “drink!” messages we as humans get. He’ll smell the same delicious aromas, watch humans eating with gusto, see the same commercial advertisements for food, food and more food, steaming gently and looking oh-so-good on the plate as it turns. He’ll hear chips hitting the deep fry and smell them, too. And what’s he going to do when he walks past a Starbuck’s? If he’s a modern day vampire, does he wake with all his addictions intact? Does he hunger for his daily espresso hit?
What if he’s one of the types of vampires whose senses (taste, touch, smell, hearing, etc) are all better than humans? Are all those eat and drink messages going to be more powerful because he can receive them better?
I love my food — too much, frankly — and I’m constantly battling my expanding waistline. While the idea of almost-immortality as a vampire has all sorts of appeal for me (watching history unfold is the biggie), giving up food and well, coffee, dammit, would make me sit down and really think hard if I ever got the offer. I would have to have a written, sealed guarantee that all the cues and triggers that would deluge me every day as a vampire would be negated somehow before I would step over to the other side. Even then, just the memory of eating and food would drive me crazy, I suspect. I would miss it.
Humans have so many rituals and habits built around the consumption of food. From breakfast to work breaks, to simply cleaning your teeth (to get rid of food particles), to dinner out with friends, nearly every social occasion, everything is impacted by food.
Take away the food and you leave a very big vacuum.
That absence is something that Nial, my 1,500 year old vampire in Blood Knot, has struggled with in unique ways over his long life. He misses food and eating as much as any human might, and it shows. It also leads to a small crisis…but I can’t say more without spoiling the story!
After thirty-five novels with various publishers, under various pen names, and after nearly ten years with Ellora’s Cave primarily writing in romantic suspense and paranormal romance, I have finally taken a deep breath and self-published Blood Knot, an erotic urban fantasy romance (MMF, Contemporary, Vampires, Paranormal), and my 36th novel overall. It was released on March 9, 2011 and is available at Amazon and Smashwords for $2.99 in all the common e-book formats, and will soon be available in print.
I’ve won a number of awards, including Australia’s Emma Darcy Award (the equivalent of the Golden Heart) and was most recently nominated for the CAPA’s Best Erotic Paranormal and Favourite Author categories. You can find out more about me and my books here.
An Excerpt From: BLOOD KNOT
Copyright © TRACY COOPER-POSEY, 2011
All Rights Reserved.
[For readers who are following my blog tour, these excerpts are consecutive — each excerpt follows the last one. Check on my blog for details of previous excerpts, and subscribe to my blog to learn about future blog tour posts and the excerpts that go with them. http://tracycooperposey.com]
“One of my weaknesses is redheads,” Nathanial added. “Especially stubborn, intelligent, independent, feisty redheads.”
Her whole body seemed to tighten and pulse. Winter covered up her reaction by turning away and heading for the sink for a glass of water. But her hand was trembling, so she changed her mind and leaned against the counter, her arms crossed. It left five feet of space between them. Good.
Nathanial stayed by the windows. “Tell me why you didn’t look inside Sebastian until you had to save his life.”
Winter could feel her mouth opening as her jaw dropped. She stared at him, trying to gather her thoughts. “Because I just wouldn’t. That wouldn’t be…” She had never had to explain this to anyone before and couldn’t find the words. “Proper,” she finished inadequately.
“It would be unprofessional,” Nathanial added.
“Yes,” she agreed. “That, too.”
Nathanial smiled a little. “You must have given Sebastian merry hell these last two years, Winter. You’re like me in many ways.”
Winter could feel her mouth turn down. “I’m nothing like you. We have nothing in common.”
“We have Sebastian in common,” he said coolly.
“We don’t have him,” she spat. “You had him and you lost him. I never had him the way you did. He was just a business partner. And now he’s not even that.”
“He’s something more than that now, Winter.” He moved toward her. “Why do you need his blood every month or so? Why are you not working together anymore? What happened after Singapore?”
She pushed her hand through her hair with a frustrated sigh. “I suppose, if I don’t answer you in full, you’ll have it out of me one way or another, right?”
Nathanial smiled. It was a full, cheerful grin. “You’re starting to learn.” He cocked his head. “Although if you want to be stubborn, I’m more than happy to…coax the information out of you.” He swayed towards her, his blue eyes full of sudden heat that had little to do with the teasing tone of his voice.
Winter slid along the edge of the counter, out of his way, even as her heart thudded at his nearness. “I’ll cooperate,” she assured him.
Nathanial straightened up. “Ah well,” he sighed. “Tell me about Singapore, then. What happened after?”
Winter sighed. “Who was the idiot that said ‘The truth shall set you free’? I’d like to kill the bastard if he isn’t already dead. All the truth did for Sebastian and me was slaughter everything we had. Two of the best years of my life. Gone. Just like that. Because the truth came out.”
Chapter Four
New York City, New York. About nine months ago.
THE FIRST SHE knew that anything was wrong was when she gradually became aware of Sebastian calling her name. And a hand patting her cheek.
The tapping was annoying and she tried to turn her face away from it. When she didn’t have the strength to do that much, she roused enough to wonder why and realized that things were not right. Something was happening.
She began to pick up external cues. Distant traffic. She must be in her apartment in New York, then. It was early summer and warm in the apartment. But she was covered in a blanket.
And shivering. She was cold. Colder than January.
“Winter! Open your eyes!” It was Sebastian again and he sounded worried. Again, the tap on the cheek. His hand. She would know his scent anywhere—
She snapped her eyes open. How could she know his aroma so well? And from just his hand?
Sebastian was leaning over her, the thick locks of his hair falling forward as always. Relief actually showed on his face. Hovering over his shoulder stood Jackson, her doorman.
Jackson smiled. “That’s the ticket. I’ll call an ambulance.”
“No!” Sebastian shot back. “I’ll take care of her. I know how to treat her.”
Jackson’s smile faded. “You’re sure, Mr. Worthington?”
“You called me first, didn’t you, Jackson? You know I know Winter well. I can take care of this.” He pulled a billfold from his inner pocket and unclipped a couple of notes. “She’ll get eaten up in the system.”
Jackson waved away the money. “I get paid well, Mr. Worthington.”
Sebastian took Jackson’s wrist and laid the notes on his palm. “This is a thank you for calling me in the first place. Your instincts were right, Jackson. You did well.”
Jackson nodded. “I like Ms. Winter,” he said simply.
“I’ll makes sure she stays one of your favorite tenants, then.”
Jackson touched his forehead and left the apartment.
Sebastian turned back to Winter. She was lying on the floor, she realized. Next to the fireplace, right out in the middle of the room. She couldn’t put together what she had been doing to end up here. What day was it? What time? How long had she been lying here? Fright touched her.
“What am I doing here, Sebastian?” she asked. Even her voice was pathetically weak.
“I’m not sure,” he said. “But we have to presume it is something to do with Singapore, as that was just under four weeks ago.” He picked her up. “I’ll put you on your bed. It’ll be more comfortable than the floor. Then, if you can manage it, you need to analyze yourself.”
She tried to put her arms around his neck, but was too weak even for that. Sebastian was warm against her cold body and she sighed in contentment as he carried her through to her bedroom. “Thank you,” she whispered.
“Don’t thank me,” he said roughly. “I’m the one that put you in this position, remember?” He lowered her to the bed, bending to place her gently on the covers. “Damn, you’re colder than an ice cube, Winter.”
He was bowed over her, lifting his hands away from her. It was summer, so he wore his usual jeans and a collarless dress shirt in a cotton fabric so soft and old it begged to be touched. The sleeves were rolled up. The shirt exposed his neck to her and Winter could focus on nothing but the tender flesh running from his ear to his shoulder. She could trace the path his carotid would take. It seemed she could even hear his heart beat in her mind.
She reached for his arm, her strength suddenly enough for that. It was only a few inches, after all.
He froze, his chin turning so that his green eyed gaze could take her in.
Her heart was running far too hard. Dangerously fast. Winter cupped Sebastian’s face, and smoothed her fingers into his hair. In the profound silence that gripped the bedroom, she heard his tiny gasp.
She found a strength she didn’t know she possessed to bring herself up off the pillows he’d laid her upon. She brought her mouth closer to his hot flesh. She craved to taste it. To…
“Winter,” he breathed, holding himself motionless.
She laid her lips against him.
He shuddered.
Driven by something she didn’t understand, something too powerful to argue with, she opened her mouth and sank her teeth into his neck.
“Bloody hell!” Sebastian gasped. He wrenched her away from him and staggered back, exploring his neck with his fingertips, then checking his fingers for blood. He stared at her. “Winter!” He said her name as if he were appalled.
But she was too busy trying to deal with sudden and overwhelming hunger pangs. Pangs that were more like cramps. They were making her writhe on the bed in agony.
Sebastian moved closer, watching her. “Jesus wept…” he said after a moment. “I don’t believe it.” He climbed onto the bed next to her. “Let me see your teeth, Winter.”
“What?” she gasped, holding her stomach.
“I need to know if you can pierce my skin or if I have to do that for you.”
She tried to curl into a ball as the cramps hit her again, moaning.
Sebastian cursed softly. She felt his fingers on her mouth, and one slide gently under her upper lip. “Nothing,” he said. “You’re quite human. But you need to feed. And I don’t have canines any more either.”
The mattress shifted and light glared as he entered her bathroom. Then he was back. She heard him give a soft hiss of pain. “Quickly, Winter. Here.”
His fingers touched her lips. This time they smelled differently. She turned her head, alerted by the aroma. The rich promise.
“Drink,” he crooned as drops fell onto her tongue.
Winter swallowed and felt the spread of warmth and energy from the few little drops. Eagerly, she sought more, and more flowed into her mouth. Thick and sweet as honey. She swallowed.
Warmth seemed to spread through her body as the liquid made its way down to her stomach.
“That’s it,” Sebastian told her, his tone approving. A hand slid under her head, supporting her. “Now, can you put your lips on my wrist?”
The first faint alarm filtered through her haze of enjoyment. But the strength she was drawing from the liquid overrode her intellectual objections. In the back of her mind she put together the truth. Sebastian’s wrist. His hiss of pain. Canines. Teeth. Fangs.
Blood. She was drinking blood. Sebastian’s blood. Hot blood.
It tasted nothing like blood. It tasted ambrosial. The finest wines had nothing on this. The heat and energy it was generating in her was like the strongest energy drink in the world. Industrial strength power straight into her veins. She could feel her body responding and could measure its restoration for herself.
She gripped his wrist and pressed her lips against the wound she knew she would find there. With the slightest of hesitations, knowing full well what she was doing, she made herself draw blood into her mouth
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*** This contest is Closed ***
Congratulations to Luanna from Maine!
Whew, great excerpt Tracy. Thanks so much for sharing. Tracy has generously offered to give away an e-copy of her book KISS ACROSS SWORDS. Since Tracy is from Australia and currently living in Canada, just leave a comment about something you believe to be true about one of these countries. I’ll leave it to Tracy to give us the correct answer/information.This contest will be open until FRIDAY, APRIL 8 at noon EDT when I will choose a winner at random from all commenters on this post.
Thanks so much for stopping by Tracy!
There are always exciting days in a writer’s world. Finishing a story and sending it off to your editor. Contract Offers. Release days. But you know, there is nothing that makes me hold my breath like COVER DAY! Seriously. I spend a lot of time describing my characters and my world settings to the art department in hopes that they can capture the feel of my story. So when the email comes from the art department I take a deep breath, close my eyes and open the attachment…and just stare. I have been blessed with some gorgeous covers. But none has made me jump up and down and shed tears of happiness like the cover for A TOUCH OF LILLY.
The VERY talented Reese Dante designed it for me and she fit all the pieces together perfectly! So it is with all kinds of happiness that I stand up and cheer for her as she accepts the ARIANA book cover award in the Science Fiction Erotic Romance category. w00f! w00f! w00f! (See the Julia Roberts fist pump.) She actually won in two categories which is not surprising since she is truly talented and makes the most gorgeous covers.
Anyway, I just wanted to share my joy with you. And since it’s been awhile, how about and excerpt …
Lilly D’Angelo could have been walking into any of the seedier establishments lining Forty-fifth and Wester on Chicago’s south side. Except for the clientele, the tavern’s owner had managed to replicate nearly every detail right down to the blue haze and the soft crooning of a jazz band on the corner stage. The acrid stench and gruff hum of a Friday night crowd tripped Lilly down memory lane—a place she had no desire to travel at the moment.
Lilly pushed the sour thoughts of home out of her mind and focused her energy on the patrons at the bar. Morphing her features into her sexiest vixen pout, she moved gracefully toward the long bar on the other side of the room. Her voluptuous breasts, spilling temptingly from her silk blouse, led the way. The eyes watching her ass sashay around the battered tables were clustered on various life forms—none of them human.
Yeah, definitely not Chicago. Shit, this wasn’t even Earth for chrissake.
“Regent’s ale, straight up, hold the brenic.” She spoke English, hoping the two-headed Xerick behind the bar had a cochlear translator in one of those eight holes that passed for ears. Satisfied when one head nodded, she settled on a stool, making sure her fur jacket and blouse parted enough to offer a seductive view of her cleavage. Lilly shifted just enough to let the black leather skirt ride up her thigh and expose a little more silky real estate. Surreptitiously checking her image in the mirrored glass behind the liquor bottles, she was pleased she looked every bit the part. She wasn’t trying to attract anyone in particular, perhaps something on the less offensive side that could offer her a bit of entertainment to help fritter away the next couple of hours.
Lilly wasn’t a xenophobic bigot by any stretch of the imagination. But six months in deep space, working these kinds of joints, wasn’t really long enough to become accustomed to the scenery. The Nebulae Galaxy’s spaceports overflowed with aliens of all sizes and genders. Only that wasn’t really a fair term here in deep space.
Alien inferred the life forms didn’t belong. On the contrary, it was humans who were invading their territory. The treaties of 2253, signed well over forty years ago, had guaranteed the safe travel of humans in deep space. After the snafu of ’34, which saw the first major space disaster since light travel had been discovered, humans had insisted on protection for their species. They’d formed some bullshit board of security, guaranteeing humans could run roughshod over the universe like everywhere else. Though most people referred to them as the QAL, Lilly nicknamed them the alphabet mafia. At one point she’d actually considered working for them until they’d discovered who she was—or more specifically what she was. It didn’t matter. They could all go fuck themselves if they didn’t appreciate her gifts. Lilly had found a way to use her talents and still bring down the bad guys.
Of course in deep space, bad was a relative term.
I spent the better part of this week in another state shopping for a new home. The realtor said by the end of it we’ll be creating our own house in our heads putting a bathroom with a different livingroom and adding a kitchen from a different house. Oy! Was he right! My head is spinning with all the houses we’ve seen. I have to tell you, we looked at one house that was … interesting. There was no way to save the house from itself. There was an indoor pool (empty and without a liner) and an outdoor pool and bedrooms that just … weren’t. The realtor looked at me when we were alone in the kitchen, smiled and said, “there’s nothing to be done here, but blow it up and start again.” I nearly busted a gut. Our realtor is normally very stoic and says very little. But the man was right.
Anyway, we found some beautiful neighborhoods with houses that needed renovating and some beautiful houses we could move into in places we’d rather not live. I’m not sure what we’re going to do at this moment. All I know is now that I’ve returned home, there are boxes begging to be packed. I have two weeks left to get it all done. One foot in front of the other …
On the writing front I have to admit I didn’t get anything more than blog posts and a couple of guest posts written. My current WIP is just a couple of scenes away from being finished. I just need to buckle down and pound out the words and find my Happy-Ever-After for my lovers. I’d like to finish it before I move at the end of the month. Goal stated.
I did get a really nice 4 CHERRY review from Whipped Cream Reviews for MAID FOR MASTER. This is part of what Mistletoe had to say …
I enjoyed this book right from the start. Claire is a strong woman who can stand on her own. Yet as a submissive she decides to give up control to her Master. Whether he is Master or just plain Jonathon he is a wonderful man who will do anything for love, including keeping a secret from Claire and hoping that, when he reveals it, his heart is not torn out. Watching the two together makes for one hot read. Claire blossoms as a submissive and the love that grows between the two is wonderful…it includes some scenes that were very intense and very hot! I enjoyed this book so much and was happy to see the love and trust between the characters. Nina Pierce does a wonderful job of pulling the reader in and keeping you glued to the pages. I will definitely be on the look out for more of this author’s books in the future.
I’ll end today with an excerpt from “Maid for Master:
Jonathon dropped the cell phone into the oak drawer of his desk, grateful for the interruption. He’d been sitting in his office below Paradise Cove’s main club for the last hour trying to figure out how to handle Claire. No—not handle—men had been doing that her entire life. The woman needed someone who loved and respected all sides of her—the devoted mother, the caring daughter, the submissive lover as well as the corporate executive with an advanced business degree.
He could be that man—wanted to be that man.
Guilt and fear knotted cold in his gut. He’d come close to confessing everything this morning at breakfast. Seeing the gold band winding delicately around her biceps had sent his heart into overdrive. He wasn’t sure how Claire would react when she woke this morning in one of the staff lounges and found he wasn’t there. He had feared she’d feel abandoned once again and throw it all away. Thank God she hadn’t.
He’d tried to steer her toward the idea of the two of them together, but even his heartfelt confession of love hadn’t been enough to open her eyes to the possibility that there could actually be something between them. The disappointment had wrapped tight around his heart and he’d grabbed her computer, looking for a diversion.
Jon had fully expected to see that Claire had been pining over her ex-fiancé, which she’d done. But a few clicks of her internet history had brought up the XTC Resort website and its staff photos. His heart had skipped several beats knowing she’d been surfing their website. Of course he had no way of knowing exactly what she was trying to find, but he’d hoped she’d been looking for him. Well, not him but Master Xavier, the Dom who had held her last night as she’d allowed herself to purge the anxiety and discontent blinding her heart.
Jon understood how little she valued herself. Knew she believed she didn’t deserve to find a fulfilling relationship. Claire’s life had been nothing but one compromise after another.
Well, he planned to change all of that.
Recently Ambrosia from Whipped Cream Reviews gave “Hearts Afire-May” a 5 cherry review. This anthology includes my vampire novella “Shadows of Fire”. This is part of what she had to say …
“It was a pleasure to read such an alarming, hot tale of the flames of desire, sparked by such an awesome set of characters. The other characters in the story lent a gamut of emotions from joy, to pain, to love, and hatred as the story licked the edges of Alex’s world.
A definite must for those who love a good suspense and hot read of fabulous frisky firemen and a feisty female. This story deserves its own 4.5 rating for the exceptional writing. One can only fall into the heat of well written prose with glee.”
Click HERE for the full review.
Yep, I’m smiling all over with that review! And to celebrate I’d like to share with you a new from my novella, Shadows of Fire. Please enjoy …
Clouds shrouded the moon as the vampire moved through the abandoned field. Some caring neighbor had probably come in today and no doubt sheltered the wayward animals. Just as well. After tonight, pig’s blood would no longer be needed for that heinous concoction that passed as vampire sustenance. Glenn’s death had solidified that.
Vampires were nocturnal creatures, born of blood, they lived by blood. To hell with modern views to the contrary. Ridding South Kenton of the contemptuous vampires who had weakened themselves had been necessary. Though the professor’s death should have been the end, the realization that one more fire would complete the purification spurred the beast forward.
Under the cloak of darkness the vampire searched Glenn’s house, but found nothing. Obviously, Glenn had hidden whatever he’d found in the professor’s office well. Had there been more time last evening, it would have been a pleasure to coax the information from his bloody lips. But misdirection required precision. The setup left in the barn fire could not have been more perfect. Killing the kid after Glenn resurrected the poor bastard had been an added pleasure. Staking the body to the pentagram was nothing short of pure genius. Already gossip of Glenn’s occult practices had begun to spread. Small towns survived on grist from the rumor mill. The lies had been whispered in the man’s own tavern tonight, for chrissake.
Now, the murderer needed to finish destroying the professor’s work. But the evidence Glenn had stolen from the man’s office-information that would no doubt spur others to follow in his footsteps-needed to be found and destroyed. Time was running out.
Standing on the back steps of the farm house, the monster listened to an owl cry a victory song in the darkness and its prey scream a death wail. It was a haunting sound that called to the vampire heart. “Life taken to give life.” The creed rode in the gentle breeze.
The rain had slowed around midnight and now, nearly an hour later, had finally stopped. It would make the long walk back to the bridge where the car was parked a pleasant stroll. The heavy boots clomped down the stairs and across the driveway. Clouds skittered across the sky and opened. The full moon beamed in all its glory upon the blackened barn, the rays of light stretching to illuminate Glenn’s vehicle. An obvious sign that couldn’t be ignored
With a gentle push of air, the vampire stood at the cab of the truck. The moon glittered off a metal ring hanging on the shifter. Opening the door, the vampire leaned in to retrieve the key, and found the leather satchel hidden beneath the seat.
Fate had smiled down once again.
No Saturday Selection today because I’m hanging out over at SExpressions … okay, well not literally. Since I’m down at the lake with some friends, depending on the time of day you caught me, I’m probably swimming or canoeing the lake or watching the fireworks (if the rain in Maine EVER stops)… definitely I’m having a beer and a burger!
Anyway, swing over and check out the excerpt I’ve got posted over there.
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