by Trisha Telep
“I wouldn’t mind.”
Fire shot up and down her limbs as he dropped kisses onto her mouth, her throat, her breasts. She moaned, arching to him, wanting him.
He pulled off his loincloth, and now there was nothing between them. Skin met skin, body met body, for the first time in Natalia’s life.
Ochen’s silver eyes were intense, watching her. “I don’t want to hurt you.”
“You won’t.” Natalia had been to the clinic, had her maidenhead removed when she went through her coming of age ceremony. Not that anyone ever expected her to actually have intercourse.
“I don’t ever want to hurt you.” Ochen closed his beautiful eyes, and suddenly, she was filled with him, his large arousal spreading her wide, making her catch her breath.
“All right?” he murmured.
“Very, very all right,” Natalie tried to say. It came out garbled.
He still looked concerned, so she grabbed his face between her hands and kissed him hard. His face relaxed in passion, and he began to move, slowly, inside her.
This was desire. This was lovemaking. At last, at long last.
Natalia drew a breath, then her body went tight and hot, his hard, blunt arousal pressing inside her. “Ochen. I’m going to ... I don’t know. Fly apart.”
“Let it happen.” His eyelids were heavy. “Let it happen, my love.”
Natalia wasn’t sure what would happen, but black waves of sensation suddenly swamped her. She twisted and writhed, sobbing his name, her nails scrabbling for purchase on his back.
“Yes,” he whispered. “Yes, love.”
They climaxed together. She’d read of climax, but the scientific description fell flat. This was joy, love, power, strength. Ecstasy. It was better than she’d ever imagined it could be.
She landed on her back, Ochen heavy on top of her. His laughing mouth met hers, and they kissed and rocked and laughed some more.
“Stay with me,” Ochen said when they quieted again. “I love you, Natalia.”
“Yes.” Natalia smiled up at him, the man who had showed her passion without judging her. He’d seen her innermost fantasies, her hopes and dreams, and they pleased him. “Do you know what my fantasy is now?”
Ochen let his gaze bore into hers. Natalia felt herself spinning, but she knew she lay under him safe and sound.
“You are naughty,” he said, his smile wicked.
“Only with you.”
“Yes, I know. Your fantasy is to stay with me and make love with me always.”
“Pretty much.”
“Then stay. Do not go back to that empty world.”
Natalia looked around at the strange, green, living place that seemed to match Ochen. “I’ll have to tell my mother, and pack a few things. But yes, I’ll stay.”
He nuzzled her neck. “What changed your mind? Our love-making?”
“My mother always told me that, when I found my heart’s desire, I should hold it with both hands.” Natalia gripped Ochen’s shoulders. “So I am.”
Ochen took her hand in his and kissed it. “Your mother is very wise.”
“She is.” Natalia gave him a lazy smile. “I always listen to her.”
Author Biographies
C. T. Adams and Cathy Clamp
Award-winning USA Today bestselhng authors have written nearly a dozen paranormal romances, including the Sazi Shapeshifter series and the Thrall Vampire trilogy
ciecatrunpubs.com
Ilona Andrews
New York Times bestselhng urban-fantasy author of the Kate Daniels series
ilonaland.com
Kelley Armstrong
USA Today and New York Times bestselhng author of the Otherworld series
kelleyarmstrong.com
Anya Bast
National bestselhng author of the Elemental Witches series
anyabast.com
Meljean Brook
Critically-acclaimed author of the Guardian paranormal romance series
meljeanbrook.com
Rachel Caine
Award-winning author of the Weather Warden, Red Letter Days, and Morganville Vampires series.
rachelcaine.com
Alyssa Day
RITA award-winning and USA Today bestselling author of the Warrior of Poseidon series.
alyssaday.com
Lori Devoti
Author of the Unbound series from Silhouette Nocturne.
loridevoti.com
Jeaniene Frost
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Night Huntress series.
jeanienefrost.com
Lynda Hilburn
Author of The Vampire Shrink and Dark Harvest, the first two books in the Kismet Knight, Vampire Psychologist series. She writes dark urban fantasy and paranormal romance.
lyndahilburnauthor.com
Allyson James
Author of the Dragon series and erotic romances, she writes as USA Today bestselling and RITA award-winning author Jennifer Ashley.
allysonjames.com
Dina James
Her first short story, “Play Dead” was published in The Mammoth Book of Vampire Romance. “Once A Demon” is her second foray into the world of the Destrati.
dinajames.com
Jean Johnson
Bestselling author of the Sons of Destiny series.
jeanjohnson.net
Sherrilyn Kenyon
#1 New York Times bestselling author of The Dark-Hunters series (among others). She writes the Lords of Avalon series as Kinley MacGregor.
sherrilynkenyon.com
Holly Lisle
Writes paranormal suspense and romance, fantasy, SF, and young adult fiction, and gives very unorthodox courses on writing.
hollylisle.com
Sara Mackenzie
Bestselling author of both paranormal and historical romance (under the name Sara Bennett), she has been nominated for a RITA by the RWA.
saramackenzie.com
Cheyenne McCray
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Magic series.
cheyennemccray.com
Catherine Mulvany
Award-winning author of the Wicked series.
catherinemulvany.com
Mary Jo Putney
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over thirty books and counting. She writes paranormal, historical and contemporary romance, and is the recipient of two RITA awards.
maryjoputney.com
Michelle Rowen
Bestselling and award-winning author of the Immortality Bites vampire series.
michellerowen.com
Eve Silver
Bestselhng, award-winning author of contemporary paranor-mals, historical suspense, and speculative romance (under the pseudonym Eve Kenin).
evesilver.net
Maria V. Snyder
Award-winning, New York Times bestselhng author of Poison Study, Magic Study and Fire Study Her next book, Storm Glass will be out in spring 2009, and Sea Glass follows in the autumn.
mariavsnyder.com
Carrie Vaughn
New York Times bestselhng author of a series of novels about a werewolf named Kitty who hosts a talk radio show for the supernaturally disadvantaged.
carnevaughn.com
Anna Windsor
Author of the Dark Crescent Sisterhood series.
annawindsor.net
Constable & Robinson Ltd
3 The Lanchesters 162 Fulham Palace Road
London W6 9ER www.constablerobinson.com
First published in the UK by Robinson, an imprint of Constable & Robinson, 2009
Copyright © Trisha Telep, 2009 (unless otherwise indicated)
The right of Trisha Telep to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by her in accordance with the Copyright, Designs & Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, re-sold, hired out or otherwi
se circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.
A copy of the British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data is available from the British Library
UK ISBN 978-1-84529-941-5
First published in the United States in 2009 by Running Press Book Publishers
All rights reserved under the Pan-American and International Copyright Conventions
This book may not be reproduced in whole or in part, in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system now known or hereafter invented, without written permission from the publisher.
US Library of Congress number: 2008942197 US ISBN 978-7624-3651-4
Running Press Book Publishers
2300 Chestnut Street Philadelphia, PA 19103-4371
Visit us on the web! www.runningpress.com
A Digital Production by Angg♥n
Contents
Acknowledgments
Introduction
THE TEMPTATION OF ROBIN GREEN
Carrie Vaughn
SUCCUBUS SEDUCTION
Cheyenne McCray
PARANORMAL ROMANCE BLUES
Kelley Armstrong
JOHN DOE
Anna Windsor
TAKING HOLD
Anya Bast
HOW TO DATE A SUPERHERO
Jean Johnson
DANIEL
C. T. Adams and Cathy Clamp
LIGHT THROUGH FOG
Holly Lisle
THE TUESDAY ENCHANTRESS
Mary Jo Putney
TRINITY BLUE
Eve Silver
GRACE OF SMALL MAGICS
Ilona Andrews
ONCE A DEMON
Dina James
NIGHT VISION
Maria V. Snyder
PELE'S TEARS
Catherine Mulvany
PACK
Jeaniene Frost
WHEN GARGOYLES FLY
Lori Devoti
THE LIGHTHOUSE KEEPER AND HIS WIFE
Sara Mackenzie
BLOOD SONG
Lynda Hilburn
THE PRINCESS AND THE PEAS
Alyssa Day
AT SECOND BITE
Michelle Rowen
BLUE CRUSH
Rachel Caine
THE WAGER
Sherrilyn Kenyon
IN SHEEP'S CLOTHING
Meljean Brook
THE DREAM CATCHER
Allyson James
Author Biographies
