by Rena Marks
My attention was diverted by the vampire, who advanced down the stairs with my son in his arms.
The child was pudgy, dressed in a diaper and nothing else. His skin was healthy and pink, and against his father’s chest, he snored softly. Sweetly.
It sapped my need for destruction. This was all I ever wanted, to see my own son. I approached the vampire at the same time the wolf did. I reached out with one long finger, as long as the rest of my hand, stroking it up his arm and down his tender, sweetly expanded belly.
“You’re back,” Leo said.
As I watched, my finger shortened. I was aware my hair had already returned to its naturally highlighted blond and brown. The ringlets returned, bouncing over my shoulders. “It’s me,” I verified.
Both men stared into my eyes. I was sure they felt relief that my amber eyes now matched theirs, instead of being filled with black ink.
Luc stirred, pursing his lips softly and sucking in his sleep.
“Here,” Julian said, passing him to me. I cuddled him to me, and he clung lovingly, his sweet head pressed under my chin where I could inhale his scent.
I turned to the president, avoiding the bloody lumps of goo on the floor. Both men at least were finally still.
“No,” I whispered softly to him. Everyone in the room seemed aware I was afraid to trigger the crone with harshness and noise. “You cannot study my son. Is that completely clear?”
His head nodded in jerky movements, clearly still terrified with the stench of blood permeating the air.
Merrick stepped up. “We need to cover this up.”
Thankfully I was in a clear mental state after the crone had jumped. “I have a plan. The Secret Service will be bespelled to forget everything that happened. The president will not.” My voice was clear and they all knew why he would be allowed to keep his memories. He would never again make the decision to come after us.
“How will we explain the two deaths?” Jack Horntrey asked.
“We’ll say the Secret Service broke in because they were aware of a plot to blow up the entire mansion during a meeting with the president over the legalization of the werewolves. Unfortunately, two agents lost their lives in an explosion.” I was aware of several men wincing. “That will explain the Secret Service invasion that the media watched.” I turned to our president. “You will be pretty agreeable to anti-discrimination laws to protect the newly discovered werewolves.”
“Of course. Of course,” he babbled. Ever the businessman. The government would always be corrupt, but at least this one would see the light.
“After all, I’m sure that’s what you actually came to do.”
“Yes. Agreed. That’s exactly it.”
“Let’s clean up,” Julian said. “Merrick, will you and Anjelia do the honors?”
“I’d love to,” Merrick said.
“Let me take Luc,” Leo murmured. Julian handed our son off to his other father. Leo brought him to me for one last kiss, and then we all got busy with the clean up.
* * * * *
We allowed the president to handle the press this time. He did a good job, though his ego jumped back in and demanded that he look like the hero. He explained that he had a planned meeting with Leo about the intricacies of integrating werewolves into society, and had a tip that bombs were planted on the property.
Anyone who knows werewolves would know those bombs would be sniffed out even if a stranger could get onto the property.
Then he claimed the trigger bomb detonated—close to our son’s room—and two brave secret service men lost their lives protecting “the child.” I almost snickered. That was how our son was described. Still, they were heroes and that suddenly made werewolves favorable, instead of dangerous vicious animals that would eat you without qualm.
The construction was continuous. Vampires arrived to work through the night, and the werewolves worked throughout the day. Now with the exposure, the windows were reinforced to be bullet-proof. There were also darkened windows in entry ways and conference rooms for vampiric use. I was excited about this. It showed one more step in accepting the vampires into the wolf clan.
Julian had kept Luc last night, mostly because I was exhausted from expending so much magic with Merrick in the memory erasure spells. Funny how I was now performing the same spells I detested after finding it was done on me.
We all know when I’m exhausted, I’m afraid I can’t keep the crone at bay. I don’t think I need to worry about her, though. I think we have a truce between us. She’s not impressed with this dimension, and only wished to know Luc.
I’ve also come to accept that she is part of me.
I’d gotten up early, and helped with the dusting now that the construction on the mansion was finished. My son was arriving today. I was on pins and needles, waiting for nightfall.
Then there was a commotion at the front door, and I heard the baby squeals that were so familiar to me as Luc greeted Julian and Leo.
“Oh, my baby,” I exclaimed, and rushed down the stairs to him.
Lily stood with Luc on her hip and he held his hands out to me when I approached. I grabbed him, hugging him tightly, and kissing her cheek at the same time.
“My sugar-bun, I missed you so much.”
“Ma-ma,” he said, pressing kisses to my face.
“Anjelia!” Julian and Leo said in unison.
Julian sighed. “Must you call our son such silly names?”
“Bun-bun!” Luc hollered, waving his hand excitedly.
Leo groaned.
Lily laughed, and my son—with a gleam in his eyes at realizing he made her giggle—loudly repeated the love words.
Forgotten Kisses
Book 1 in the SuperNatural Sharing Series
Anjelia Romere falls in love with Julian Bax, a known master vampire. Yet she is pursued relentlessly by the insane Leo Freedman, the werewolf king.
Her life is turned upside down when she realizes her vampire betrayed her by erasing her memory of being the wolf queen. Now she wonders if the vampires she loves are the good guys and if the wolves are really the villains.
Already tied for life to the master vampire as his human servant, yet destined to be the wolf king's mate, Anjelia wonders whom to choose. While both offer hot passion and steamy nights, one option is insanity, the other, death.
Remembered Kisses
Book 2 in the Supernatural Sharing Series
Anjelia Romere's saga continues with Remembered Kisses, as she struggles to find balance in her life.
For two weeks, she's the vampire mistress. For the remaining two weeks, she's the wolf queen.
Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be any room left for her humanity. So when a vampire's witch powers accidentally get inserted into the mix, her soul is controlled by evil.
Just in time for Julian's sire to visit.
Kiss Me Before I Die
Vampires are not mythological evil creatures. We are the product of evolution. A changing world with less food and global warming.
Not the enemy to slay.
We are the enemy you have no choice but to become…for the rest of the world dies.
The writing on the bathroom stall sent a shiver down my spine. Not just any club.
Another posh nightclub.
This time in a new city. There was no one to know where I was and no one to know what I had left. Yet it followed me. Who would ever expect the musings of a vampire in the stall of the ladies’ room?
I was showing a lot of leg tonight while dressed in my usual garb of skintight black. I had been fighting the urge to return to the nightlife but it was all I knew. However, I should be safe. As I said, it was a new city.
A new life—in which I’d left my traitorous lover behind.
Yet I couldn’t get far. I’d already danced for a bit and felt hot and uptight when I slipped off to a darkened corner for a reprieve. Alone time, a chance to study the dancing bodies writhing around me. A chance to think about the writing on the
bathroom stall and decide whether or not it was safe to stay.
I should have been startled at the rush of cool air behind me. At the very least, surprised, because it had been a year. Somehow I wasn’t. Time melted away, as though it had just been yesterday.
A whisper of sweet breath curled near my ear. “You cannot get away from me, bella. You’ll always be mine.”
“I own myself,” I whispered back. “I’ve refused you already.”
“It’s not that easy. For even now, you can’t deny me.”
His finger trailed down my shoulder, along my bare skin, danced down my arm. Lightly skimming, reminding me of the touch I craved. I breathed deeply as the blaze kindled deep inside.
He was right. Denial was impossible, avoidance was easier. Was it his power or was it something indescribable between us? For now it didn’t matter.
Heat licked against sensitive nerve endings. His palm, open and warm, pressed flat to my abdomen, pulled me back into him. I could feel the fire between us, coiled tightly inside and knew I’d soon beg for his hand to inch its way lower.
His voice, deeper than ever, taunted me with known pleasure. “I could make you come, here and now. No one would ever know.”
Temptation was sinful and it was what I fought hard against. The lure of the vampire. My best weapons were fight and flight.
He was right but I wouldn’t acknowledge it. The burning edge of desire struck me tenfold. It was a drug, an addiction I still fought.
Sometimes, it was one I didn’t want to fight.
Turning my face slightly, I looked into his eyes, then deliberately pulled away.
His smile was sardonic, but he let me go. I wouldn’t be able to suppress the urge for long. The awaited anticipation would make my failure sweeter.
He knew this.
“You run, Afton. But you unknowingly head for my own jurisdictions. There’s a reason. You are mine.”
“No, I’m not,” I said clearly. The bastard was way too cocky. And why shouldn’t he be? Dark hair contrasted with lighter brown eyes against creamy skin. The distinction of his lighter eyes stood out even more when he wore carefree stubble darkening the line of his jaw, appearing dangerous and mysterious. He was tall, broad-shouldered and exuded sex appeal like nobody’s business.
But I belonged to no one and never would. Instead, I sighed. “How did you find me, Ethan?”
“It doesn’t matter,” he whispered and wrapped strong arms around me. For the briefest moment, I leaned into his strength. Felt it envelop me like a cloud of comfort on a cold day.
The need struck even harder now. It was so easy to close my eyes and go with it. Stop fighting. Give up my independence, my humanity. Everything that made me…me.
I stepped away. “Stop it,” I chided. “Keep your tricks to yourself.”
“Tricks?” he murmured unconvincingly.
“I mean it.”
He knew what I was talking about. He had been imposing his will upon me, a mockery to make me believe I was willing to surrender. I would have fallen for it, if I had not given myself the conscious reminder of fight or flight.
“Play nice or I’ll run again,” I warned. But was his need as great as mine? I allowed him to step close to me, close enough that I smelled the aftershave wafting from his skin. He leaned his lips toward mine, silently begging, yet also daring me to take the chance. It was the tiniest opportunity and I couldn’t resist, for it had been way too long.
I tilted my head back and parted my moistened lips. We touched. And all hell broke loose.
Wants, needs, feelings. Emotions ran rampant throughout my soul, yearnings and cravings of a body that had been too long without. I gasped for sweetened air and his tongue touched mine. It stroked lovingly and yet demanded my full surrender. Only one person could be this loving and challenging all at once.
Ethan.
I felt his hunger, always carefully monitored but now ready to break uncontrollably through. It bubbled to the surface before it was tamped back down when he broke the kiss.
He strung heated kisses along my jaw before returning to my lips. I was too eager to kiss him back. I’d missed this desperately. My reservations were flung to the back burner.
The music blared and the bodies around us quickened, movements becoming jerky, like mindless zombies with limbs partially stuck in the frozen throes of rigor mortis. But only their brains were dead.
Lights flickered off and on.
Our tongues entwined, smoothly touching and dancing, sensuously sliding together, making promises that neither of us could keep.
Tables crashed, noises growing louder as chairs overturned.
Our lips meshed thoroughly, hands roaming each other’s bodies. He gripped my hips, pulling me into him. A shiver of need shot through me.
Yelling ensued all around us, angrily raised voices screaming with frustrated rage.
We broke apart, breathing heavily. Hearts racing. He lowered his forehead to press against mine as he kissed the tip of my nose.
Chaos encircled us. Shattering glass, liquid spilling.
“You’ve upset the balance,” he murmured. “Come with me.”
“Never,” I said gently.
Glass tinkled as a bottle crashed over a person’s skull in the scuffle just a few feet away. The victim collapsed like a tree, leaving the scent of blood behind.
“Foolish,” he murmured and was gone.
As usual, he left me to clean up the mess we’d made.
Born Again
Beauregard Pierson couldn’t seem to stop his heart from jumping. It was Seraphina. Just like the old witch had said, he’d recognize her anywhere. She’d be born every lifetime with that deep red hair, the milk-white creamy complexion perfectly foiled by the penetrating brown eyes.
He had found her. Before Aric. He knew it was her and even though he remembered her with another body, the similarities were there. He looked forward to exploring this body, her scent, her curves. He wanted to know what made her gasp, arch, plead.
And what would send her hurtling over the edge.
Beau set the bags on the table and turned to face her. “Please stay for dinner.”
She seemed stunned into silence for a moment, shocked at the abruptness of his request. Almost as if she didn’t get asked out very often. That was hard to believe—she was just as beautiful now as she had been each time before.
“I have other plans,” she said.
His heart raced, consumed with jealousy, but he forced a smile. Then his expression cleared as he reached out, because he simply couldn’t help himself. His thumb touched gently along the path of her jaw line, curving up to the prominent cheekbones. Lightly he caressed the cream of her skin, feeling the silky softness beneath his finger.
“A rain check?” he asked.
Sara nodded, just once, seeming bemused by his touch on her cheek. He understood exactly. He wanted the touch as much as she.
Her small pink tongue snaked out to wet her lips. Beau watched, mesmerized.
His hand rested on the back of her neck, his thumb still stretched out and stroking along her jaw. Would she run if he pulled her to him? If he gently twined that pink tongue with his?
She hadn’t protested yet. He took that as encouragement and gave a small, gentle tug. She didn’t resist, but stepped closer, briefly unbalanced.
Her hands splayed out, bracing herself against his naked chest. His muscles twitched beneath her fingers, eagerly expecting more. His eyes locked on hers, watching, waiting. Wanting.
He dipped his head and deftly pressed his lips to hers. Sensation exploded. He opened his mouth at the same time she did, as if to gasp for air and their tongues met, rubbing velvety strokes, giving and taking a pleasure so intense it was almost pain.
He groaned at the sweetness of her mouth and she gasped in surprise at his. He tasted…familiar.
Shared By Wolves
Ellie watched in shocked, horrified disbelief.
Suddenly, the wolf turned t
o her. They stared at each other warily.
If possible, regret seemed to come from the monster’s eyes. “Ellie,” the mutated voice rasped. “M-mate…”
The full moon illuminated Ellie completely. Shock flooded her body, freezing her limbs. Her dilated green eyes met the matching green of the monster. Although her consciousness refused to believe it, there was only one other with eyes so like her own. Before the creature could advance to her, she collapsed into a dead faint.
* * * * *
Ever-so slowly, the insane world stopped spinning. Ellie’s wrists were tied together gently, the end of the rope wrapped up to the magnificent headboard of the enormous bed.
“Are you okay?” a familiar voice asked. A tender hand stroked the hair from her face.
“Jonathan? What happened?” she asked, hoping against all reason that she’d imagined the whole thing. Yet her wrists tied together hinted otherwise.
“Ellie, I’m sorry. But you’re better off this way, you know.”
“Which way, Jonathan? What’s going on?”
“He means with me, Ellie. You’re better off as my mate than Reed’s wife.” Duggan’s voice was harsh, coming from the far side of the room where he was hidden in the shadows. And still inhumanly deep.
Mate? Oh, Lord, it couldn’t be true. Had Duggan really changed into a monster before her eyes and attacked Brian? Was Brian dead?
“I don’t want to be your mate. Untie me. I want to go home.” She lashed out angrily, panicked fear making her brave.
“I can’t let you, Ellie,” the distorted voice repeated from the corner.
She turned to Jonathan, refusing to glance back there. “Jonathan, get me out of here.”
“Oh, Ellie. I can’t.” Jonathan's voice was resigned. “You see, Duggan’s my brother. My older brother. He’s the alpha.”
