by Mary Hughes
Feral Passion
© 2009 Stephanie Bedwell-Grime
Xandra had a thing about vampires—like not dating one. Ever. But now that she’s on the hunt for the mastermind behind a newly formed vampire army, she’s sucking it up and dating every vamp in her little black book. Her prime suspect: Dante. Cop, vampire—and drop-dead gorgeous.
As the police force’s vampire liaison officer, Dante is no stranger to crime. Feral vampires are attacking in droves, and he’s hell-bent on finding out who’s responsible before the backlash robs them all of their hard-won rights. His number one suspect: Xandra. Hunter, smartass—and sexy as sin.
No one is more surprised than Xandra when Dante shows up as her date. Her cover is not all that’s blown during their mutual interrogation. Sparks of attraction fly—right before an attack leaves her gravely injured. With no choice but to inoculate her with his blood, Dante has more questions than ever before. Like who wants her silenced.
As they race to uncover a long-buried secret, Xandra realizes she can trust no one. Not even Dante. Especially since his blood is giving her unpredictable side effects…
Warning: Contains violence and hot and heavy vampire action.
Enjoy the following excerpt for Feral Passion:
“I think—” she started to say. “I need—”
And then the world slipped away from her.
Dante cursed in the darkness. Motion stopped. With his arm slung across her shoulder, he walked across uneven gravel. He leaned her against a brick wall and ordered her to remain standing. The brick was still warm from the sun and comforting somehow. She couldn’t stop shaking. It seemed inevitable that she would be sick.
She protested weakly when Dante moved her away from the warm brick. Keys jingled in his hand. The smell of mildew and disinfectant assaulted her senses.
She tried to warn Dante about her nausea, but he herded her across the floor and lowered her to a lumpy bed. It creaked ominously as he lay down beside her.
Xandra turned toward his warmth, the only comfort in the misery she couldn’t escape.
“It’s going to be okay, Xandra,” he whispered.
His breath ruffled her hair. She heard another sound, something wet and tearing.
“Here.” Dante’s voice sounded disproportionately loud above the ventilation system.
His wrist pressed against her lips. She tasted the saltiness of his skin and felt his arms tighten around her, as if he expected it to hurt. Thick, coppery blood seeped into her mouth. Even though her mind rebelled, her body remembered what to do. She swallowed reflexively.
Dante’s blood flowed into her. Like electricity it rushed outward through her veins, repairing the damage the vampires had done to her. And for a moment she was content just to drink and be healed. Then gently, he pulled his wrist away.
She clasped his wrist, desperately trying to bring it back to her mouth, but he firmly disengaged her fingers. She moaned at the sudden loss.
“Easy,” Dante said. “Trust me, you don’t want to have too much.”
Alarm bells rang in some distant part of her mind. No, she certainly didn’t want to have too much. That led to the inevitable changes that would make her a vampire. A creature like those hopeless fiends who’d attacked her.
Her eyes flew open. Panicked, she stared at him.
“Don’t worry,” he said, sensing her alarm. “You only had a little. Only enough to offset the effects of the virus.”
The nausea had vanished. Pressed against Dante’s warm body, the shivers had ceased. Xandra felt stronger, clearer headed. She looked into his amber eyes, only inches from hers.
He closed the distance. His mouth covered hers, possessive and demanding. His tongue probed the recesses of her mouth, seeking the remnants of his blood. It should bother her. A week ago, it would have. But the way Dante kissed her made her feel wanted and loved. And his blood coursed through her veins, making her strong.
That strange feeling of being cared for brought a sudden rush of tears to her eyes. She gasped for breath. He pulled away.
“Xandra?”
“Shh.” She placed a finger against his lips to silence further questions.
He studied her carefully. “If we’re moving too fast for you here—”
She shook her head. “No.” How to explain this strange flood of feeling that touched places she’d kept hidden since her mother died? She didn’t even think she could summon the words.
Rising, he held her against him while he pulled down the bedspread. She looked around the room, suddenly taking note of her surroundings.
“Where are we?”
“In a motel off the highway.”
Danger brushed at her senses. She stiffened in his arms. “A motel? Why?”
“I couldn’t run the risk of taking you back to your place. Or mine.”
“Or the hospital?”
“The hospital would only have made things worse. Not to mention they’d probably call your boss.”
Memories of Jeremy’s dressing down rushed to the forefront of her mind. “It’s probably not a good idea to involve him.” She wondered how Jeremy had gone from a father figure to an enemy in less than a week. “But I don’t understand. Why does your blood make me better?”
He brushed his lips against hers again, setting off little bursts of pleasure all down her spine. “We’ll talk about that later,” he whispered. He settled her back against the sheets.
Dante stripped off his jacket and tossed it onto a nearby chair. He pulled his T-shirt over his head and added it to the pile. Then he strode to the bathroom and returned with a wet wad of tissue. “Don’t use the towels,” he said, pulling up the leg of her pants and wiping the blood from the back of her knee. He tossed the tissue into the toilet and flushed it. “Not until you’ve showered.”
Xandra nodded. The last thing they wanted to do was to leave DNA evidence in the motel. Evidence Jeremy could use against her. She unhooked her torque and put it on the night table with her cuffs.
“I haven’t done anything wrong,” she protested. “Three times now I’ve been attacked and Jeremy’s making me feel like I’m a criminal.”
“We need to find out why that is,” Dante said softly. Then he added, “Tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow,” she agreed.
He reached for her. His callused hands slid down over her arms until his fingers located the hem of her gore-splattered shirt. Gently, he pulled it over her head and added it to the pile of clothes on the chair. Then, he lay down beside her again.
She felt strangely vulnerable and exposed in just her bra. She nuzzled against him, burying her nose in the soft tangle of hairs in the center of his chest.
“Hey,” he teased. Grasping her chin, he raised her head and kissed her again. His hair caressed her cheek, a contrast against the roughness of his beard. She buried her hands in his silken curls and returned the kiss. He moaned low in his throat.
Hooking one arm beneath her neck, he lowered her back against the pillows. His body covered hers. His chest pressed against her breasts, still confined by the lacy material of her bra. She pulled away a little to peruse him more fully.
Aside from tangle of downy curls, his chest was bare. Blond hair covered his forearms. With his head of unruly hair framing his face, he looked like a lion at rest. The light caught the earring in his left ear and the medallion around his neck.
Dante was busy with his own study of her. His gaze centered on the pale peaks of her breasts nestled in her bra, then continued down the line of her ribcage to her hips. His hands followed in their wake as if he wanted to memorize her contours.
His free land slipped behind her back and deftly undid the clasp of her bra. She let him pull the material away. He gazed down at her with those golden eyes and smiled.
He kissed her lightly over the pulse point in her neck. She felt the touch of his lips down to her very core. He rained little kisses and tiny nips over her collarbone and then took the peak of one breast in his mout
h. Xandra moaned.
Dante raised his head and gave her a smile that promised far more of such pleasure. His even white teeth gleamed in the dim light. Not a fang in sight, she thought in relief, as he bent his head to taste the other.
She threaded her hands through his curls again, demanding more of that caress that seemed to touch on every pleasure center in her body. And Dante complied. He moved lower, painting her ribcage with kisses and then dipping lower toward her navel and the waistband of her jeans.
Abruptly, the motel door slammed open.
Wanted: One wild man. Domesticated males need not apply.
Dance on the Wilde Side
© 2009 Beverly Rae
Cannon Pack, Book 2
Veterinarian Tala Wilde has always had a fascination for wolves—and a secret longing for a wild man. Her fantasies are so powerful she finds herself howling at the moon and dancing in its light.
Still, when she catches just such a man breaking into her clinic to free the canines, she wonders if finding the man of her dreams is a little too much reality for comfort. Is he half animal…or just half crazy? Should she howl along with him? Or howl for help?
Devlin Cannon never wanted a mate—until he answers Tala’s innocent call. Even when he wakes up trapped in one of her dog runs with a rump full of buckshot, he knows the shapely vet is destined to be his. Trouble is, not only is she not a shifter, she doesn’t even know they exist. Luckily, the sexual sparks they strike together soon lure her into his arms—and entice her inner animal out to play.
But before he can claim her for his own, they’ll have to survive the hunters already hot on his trail, who are ready to skin them both alive…
Enjoy the following excerpt for Dance on the Wilde Side:
He struggled to keep the animal inside from showing in his eyes, on his face. But oh, how the animal wanted his mate. “Don’t worry. I’m going to make you scream, Tala.” He gently brushed a strand of hair away from her face. “I want you to scream my name.”
A raw rumble rolled in his throat and he moved to lie on top of her again, to rub against her and luxuriate in the feel of her. The heat in her expression drove him wild and he thrust his hands into her long hair, securing her head in place. His tongue attacked her mouth, wanting to possess all her tastes, all her essence. As he rubbed, she whimpered, a whimper of need and urgency, pushing him to the edge of reason. “Are you ready to scream, Tala?”
Her eyes narrowed, but she nodded, her panted breaths making her breasts bounce to their rhythm. “We’ll see who screams first.”
Ah, a challenge. And just the type of challenge I love. Grabbing her hands, he pulled her arms above her head and held them with one hand. She paused, motionless, as a flicker of alarm crossed her face. He ignored the hurt her look gave him. “Tala. You know you can trust me. Still, if you want me to stop…” Don’t make me stop.
“Yeah, I know. But can you trust me?” An answering determination sparkled in her eyes and she bucked, trying to break free of his hold. The harder she fought, the tighter he held her, the brighter the shine in her eyes became.
An amused delight pumped his blood faster. “So you want to play rough, huh?”
She gritted her teeth and bucked, trying to throw him from her, a grin spreading over her beautiful face. At the sight of her sweating and fighting against him, the power of the animal within him rose, threatening his tenuous hold. Fangs grew and he battled to keep from shifting. “Damn, woman, you’re strong.”
“Not sure you can handle me? Come on, Devlin. Show me what you’ve got.”
He renewed his hold on her and, using his other hand, guided his shaft between her folds, just far enough to torment her. “Do you want me, Tala?”
She giggled. “Do you want me, Devlin?”
They laughed together this time and he knew he’d met his match in more than one way. His lips came down on hers and he tasted the muskiness of his pre-come. His abdomen tightened with the taste and the smell, and the wolf inside roared his need. Holding himself, he moved his cock against her clit, working it around her, over her.
She tensed, the passion showing on her face.
“Scream for me, Tala.”
“No.” She panted the word, adding evidence to what he already knew. The corners of her mouth tipped upward, beckoning him to kiss them. “Make—” pant, “—me.”
He dragged his tongue over those taunting lips, nibbling and sucking. He rubbed his dick against her, harder, enjoying the wetness spreading between her legs and onto him. “Don’t mind if I do.”
Pushing her legs farther apart with his own, he moved onto his knees and braced against her. Her face lit up with anticipation. God, how he loved her expressions. He lifted her legs, positioned his dick and slammed into her. She grunted from the impact and wrapped her legs around him.
“Oh, damn, Devlin. Fuck me.” Wild eyes met his, demanding more from him.
He found her nipple and sucked, matching his sucks to the pounding he gave her, his hips lunging faster with each thrust. She arched to meet him, urging him to take her, possess her. Her pussy enclosed him, wrapping her hot wetness around him, tightening every time he drove into her, releasing when he slid back out.
She’s so tight. So wet. She feels so good, so hot, so…mine. He closed his eyes, fighting against the inevitable, trying to make the sweet ecstasy last.
At least until he won the challenge. “Scream my name, Tala. Scream it so everyone will hear you.”
She squirmed, trying to break free of his hand holding hers. Soft mews of lust murmured from her, thrilling him more than he could have imagined.
“Scream my name.”
Just as he was sure he couldn’t hold on much longer, he heard her whisper. “Devlin.”
He opened his eyes and almost lost his grip on what little control he had left. The look of desire, want, need…of love…in her eyes stirred him to the core. He couldn’t imagine his life without her. “Louder. Don’t just say my name. Shout it like you mean it.”
She panted, gasping with each lunge as they rocked together on the bed. “Devlin.” She said it louder, with meaning.
“More.” He let go of her arms and parted her folds to pinch her clit. She jerked, another orgasm racking her body. “Scream.”
Throwing her head back, she flattened her hands on his chest. “Devlin!”
He rammed into her stronger than ever before and she cried out at the force of his thrust. They scooted to the headboard, bumping her head against the wood. But she didn’t complain.
He bent over her and took a breast in his hand, still inside her, never wanting to leave her. “God, that’s a beautiful sound. Do it again, Tala.”
“Devlin!” She screamed his name louder, longer, digging her nails into his back, fixing his body to hers. “Devlin!”
The exhilaration flowing through him found its way to his heart and he couldn’t resist any longer. His physical control was no match for the emotions bursting inside him. At last he climaxed with a howl ripping from his throat. Fighting the animal within him no longer, he lowered his head, opened his jaws and sank his fangs into her shoulder.
“Ow! Shit!”
The strength she’d shown earlier was nothing in comparison to the strength she now used to toss him off her. Scrambling from the bed, she stumbled backwards until she struck the dresser. She sank to the floor and leaned her throbbing shoulder against the solid oak. “Ow! Damn it all to hell and back. You bit me!”
Devlin rose up on one elbow, blinked at her as if trying to focus, and swung off the bed. “Tala, let me explain.” His amber eyes slowly gained more brown.
Tala gripped her shoulder, blood oozing onto her hand. “Are you nuts? What do you think you are? Some kind of animal? You bit me!” She grabbed an old T-shirt from the dresser and stuck it on top of the wound.
“You said that twice already.”
She scowled at him, his remark stoking the volcano threatening to erupt from within her. If he thinks I’m
angry now…
He winced. “I know. I’m sorry. I should’ve prepared—”
“Get away from me.” She attempted to calm the mix of pain, shock and—God help her—lust trying to overwhelm her brain, but couldn’t. “Why the hell did you bite me?” Does it really matter? She gave it a moment’s thought. Yeah, the why does matter.
“I didn’t mean to. I just got carried away in the moment.” Pushing his hair away from his remorseful face, he beseeched her. “Tala, please, listen to me.”
He inched nearer until she stuck out a hand to stop him. “Please listen? What next? ‘Please let me go for the jugular this time?’ Would you like me to lie still while you finish the job?” Keeping her eyes glued on him, she grasped the furniture and hauled herself to her feet. I can’t believe it. This guy bit me! Gritting at the pain, she snatched up her robe in the process, and headed for the bathroom.
Devlin started to follow her. “Oh, no you don’t. You stay where you are. Or get the hell out. But don’t you dare follow me.” She thrust her finger at him in a threatening jab and stalked into the bathroom, slamming the door behind her.
Tala fell against the door and tried to catch both her breath and her sanity. What the hell just happened? One minute I’m getting laid and laid good. Okay, laid great. And in the next, I’ve got teeth in me. Had their rough play gotten out of hand? She crossed over to the sink to stare into the small oval mirror above the basin and frowned at her white complexion. Sure, I’ve had rough sex before and even a little biting, but this is wild. Too wild. With two fingers, she gently removed the robe and blood-reddened shirt to examine the injured area. Two major holes flanked a row of smaller indentations with similar marks in another semi-circle below. Looks like an animal bit me.
Reaching for a washcloth, she wet the soft cotton under the faucet and gingerly dabbed at the gashes. The sting shot down her shoulder and into her arm. I will not cry. I will not cry.
“Tala? Are you all right? Do you need my help?”
Is he kidding? “Never mind. I’ll take care of myself.”
