Lover Enraptured: Thieves of Aurion, Book 2

by Jodi Redford

  A shimmering funnel of sparkles appeared and spiraled down before him. They slowly took shape, transforming into the form of a woman with flowing silvery locks. A simple white sheath accentuated her lush frame, a startling contrast to the sexy business attire he’d last seen adorning those curves. He gaped at the goddess for an endless moment, his tongue refusing to cooperate. Finally he managed to spit out two words. “Madam Love.”

  She cocked one of her imperious eyebrows. “Just one of my many favorite guises.”

  “I don’t understand.”

  “Yes, I’ve noticed that you’re not very quick getting with the program. Much to my everlasting frustration all these years.” She sighed heavily. “Do you have any notion how many times I’ve longed to deliver a swift kick to your ass? Particularly when you ignore my guidance and continually summon me with your surly rants?”

  He frowned.

  “Do you not see it? Every time you look upon the moon and curse those who carry the same emotion you’ve stubbornly kept locked in your heart—emotion I’ve provided, mind you—your words carry to my ear. And let me tell you, there’s been plenty an occasion I’ve tempered the urge to smack you upside the head.” She plunked her hands on her hips and glared at him.

  If not for the glittery corona sparkling about her and the whole divinity thing, he would have sworn she was the spitting image of Avi. Likely it was the smacking-him-upside-the-head comment that drew the comparison.

  The goddess looked upon Avi and nodded. “Now you know why I picked her for you. I wholly approve of any woman wise enough to put you in your place.”

  “Amora—”

  “Ah, so you do know how to speak my name without stringing a damn you in front of it.”

  He was too miserable to take the slightest pleasure in her sparring. “Don’t take her from me. Please.”

  “Why is it you ask this of me?”

  “Because I need her. She’s my everything. My reason for living.”

  “Do you love her?”

  “Beyond reason.”

  “Then say the words. To her. Your bonds started long before you sealed your union yesterday. You knew this in your heart, but your head resisted. Saying the words will set you free…and her. She’s always held the power to save you. But you also hold the key in saving her.” Amora crossed to him and placed a hand on his and Avi’s hearts. “It rests here.”

  With those final words, Amora drifted into the ether.

  Returning his focus to Avi, he stroked her cheek. The emotions welled to impossible limits inside him. Instead of being afraid of giving them voice, he kissed her lips and whispered the words he’d kept caged far too long. “I love you, Avi. I always have. Always will.”

  A radiant glow surrounded her, billowing out to envelope him. It cocooned him in the most powerful, glorious essence of bliss he’d known. There was peace here. Joy and laughter. An aching sweetness that made him tremble and brought renewed dampness to his eyes.

  He was touching her soul.

  Nothing could compare to the rapture of it.

  That assessment changed slightly when in the next instant her eyelashes fluttered and a single word escaped her lips. “Jer.”

  There. That was the true rapture. He crushed her lips beneath his, the emotion bursting from his heart and scattering the darkness. Sliding his hands through her hair, he looked into the eyes he’d feared forever closed to the light.

  A tear slipped down her cheek. “I heard you calling me. You said you loved me.”

  “I do. With everything I am.” He repeated the devotion singing through his veins. “I love you, Avi.”

  “I waited fifteen years to hear you say that.” She lifted a shaky hand and caressed his jaw. “So worth it.”

  “I’m going to make it up to you by saying it every day, every minute, for the next fifteen years. And the next fifteen years after that. Into infinity.” His future beckoned, bright and shining with the dazzling promise of forever.

  Madam Love’s—Amora’s—wise words blossomed in his mind. Nothing is out of the question when you want something badly enough.

  At last he accepted the blessed truth of it. Even an undeserving, stubborn thief could hold love in his hands when the woman who’d healed his heart and soul stood beside him.

  Epilogue

  The streets of Tul’dea were bustling, as they should be during such a hallowed celebration. Love was in the air. But nowhere more vivid and radiant than at the corner chapel down the street from The Fairest Rose.

  The bride wore a beautiful white creation featuring silk rosettes festooning the train. No one had the slightest inkling of the crotchless panties underneath.

  Well, not entirely true. The groom was well aware. Hence his difficulty with keeping his mind off the upcoming wedding night.

  Speaking of the groom, he’d donned an impeccably cut tuxedo that he swore was rented, not stolen. Even had the receipt to prove it. He, however, did not have on crotchless panties. But a certain chest harness that drove the bride-to-be crazy was tucked under his shirt. A wise fairy, that one. It’d taken him a while to see the error of his ways, but now that he’d snapped to his senses, he was proving himself worthy of his lady love.

  Wiping the gathering moisture from her eyes, Amora gave a happy sigh. There was nothing more rewarding than seeing one of her couples fall in love. And these two…well, it was about damn time. She’d put a lot of energy into sealing their bond and their happy ever after. Seeing them honor her with this union put her in a positively generous mood. Maybe she’d send those wrist restraints as a wedding gift.

  The officiant’s voice boomed with a joyous ring. “And with the power invested by the goddess Amora, I now pronounce you husband and wife.”

  Their eyes shining with a deep, abiding love that made Amora’s heart sing, Avi and Jerrick exchanged a hot kiss that threatened to make the nearby ice sculptures melt. A rousing cheer went up.

  Sitting on the balcony railing above the chapel, Amora fanned herself and blew a kiss to the newly wedded pair and the crowd below.

  A fitting end to her birthday, indeed.

  About the Author

  At the ripe age of seven, Jodi Redford penned her first epic, complete with stick-figure illustrations. Sadly, her drawing skills haven’t improved much, but her love of fantasy worlds never went away. These days she writes about fairies, ghosts and other supernatural creatures, only with considerably more heat.

  She has won numerous contests, including The Golden Pen and Launching a Star.

  When not writing or working the day job, she enjoys gardening and way too many reality-television shows.

  Currently residing in Michigan with her husband and overgrown lapdog, she is a member of RWA national and Greater Detroit Romance Writers of America.

  She loves to hear from readers. You can email her at jodiredford@jodiredford.com and visit her online at www.jodiredford.com.

  Look for these titles by Jodi Redford

  Now Available:

  Taking Liberty

  Light My Fire

  Vanessa Unveiled

  The Naughty List

  Cat Scratch Fever

  Breaking Bad

  Checking it Twice

  That Old Black Magic

  That Voodoo You Do

  The Seven Year Witch

  Maximum Witch

  Getting Familiar with Your Demon

  Thieves of Aurion

  Lover Enslaved

  Coming Soon:

  Wicked Shores

  Three Ways to Wicked

  Triple Knockout

  No super deed goes unpunished…

  Breaking Bad

  © 2012 Jodi Redford

  A Midnight Justice Story

  It’s been twenty-five years since the last Light Guardian was wiped out. Or so it’s believed. Ruby Winston is about to blow the lid off that theory, even though it’ll bring every Shadow Czar minion down on her ass.

  She’s always known she was differ
ent from the rest of the evil-dictators-in-training Winstons. Uncovering the secret half of her gene pool proves it. Now she’s out to bring down her late father’s mind-control soda empire—and break the Shadow Czars’ hold on Earth.

  Problem is, becoming a superhero overnight isn’t as easy as it looks.

  Teague Younger has his own secrets to keep: his heritage, and his fierce determination to exact revenge on his friend and mentor’s murderer. So far he’s kept his cover—until he’s forced to use his Light Guardian powers to save Ruby from a sticky situation.

  Thrust together and on the run, Teague and Ruby form a wary alliance as they desperately fight their circuit-blowing attraction. With an army of Shadow Queen minions hot on their tails, they might have a hard time surviving the night, much less ignoring their hearts.

  Warning: This book contains mind-controlling beverages, evil dictators and minions, excessive use of spandex, and enough electrifying sex to melt an ice train.

  Enjoy the following excerpt for Breaking Bad:

  Teague stalked toward a cluster of scrub pines in the distance. He halted a good thirty yards back from the trees and waved his arm. “Let’s see what you’ve got.”

  “But…we’re too far away.”

  “You might not even get this close to the queen before she fries your ass.”

  Her stomach clenched. Determined to prove to them both that she wasn’t entirely inept, Ruby lifted her shaking hands and directed a bolt toward the shrubs. The charge hit at least ten yards short, fizzling ineffectually into the parched dirt.

  “Try it again.”

  She repeated the maneuver, this time landing the strike even farther from the target. Embarrassment and defeat caved her chest.

  “You’re not focusing.”

  “I am. I’ve been aiming for that middle tree each try.”

  “I’m not talking about outward focus.” He moved behind her. “It’s as much about the mental as physical. To properly handle your energy, you first need to understand it. Connect with it.” His warm, calloused palms glided along her arms, positioning them in a straight horizontal line. “This is the best way to ground yourself. The energy resides as much within your environment as it does inside you.” His fingertips grazed the sensitive undersides of her forearms, causing her to shiver in pleasure. “Do you feel the build-up starting?”

  A sharp tingle shuttled through her clitoris. Oh yeah. She was definitely feeling something. Probably not what he’d been referring to though. “I—I’m not sure.”

  Teague pressed into her, the firm, muscular planes of his chest and abdomen contouring to her back like the delicious, masculine version of memory foam. “How about now? Feeling anything?”

  She gulped, not entirely certain he wasn’t referring to the thick bulge of his erection prodding the base of her spine. “Err…possibly.”

  “Good.” His hands coasted along her upper arms and over her shoulders. He continued following the slope of her neck, his fingers a maddening butterfly dance along her overheated skin. She shook as he traced the shell of her ears before combing his fingers through her hair, sifting the strands over her shoulders. His deep inhalation stirred the fine hairs at her temple, and she closed her eyes on a shaky breath.

  “Do you feel it, Ruby?” His hands retraced their path, this time moving beneath her arms. “Do you feel our energy weaving?”

  Oh my God. She did. Teague’s power was a sensual caress along her synapses. It licked at her own energy, engaging it in an erotic tango that felt…like sex. She bit her lip to stifle a moan. Teague’s bold hands roved inward, and her eyes snapped open as they closed over her breasts. A blast of energy showered from her, acting as a turbo boost to the discharged bolt. It slammed into the center tree across from them, sheering it in half.

  Unable to believe her own eyes, she released an excited whoop of joy. It took a moment to realize that Teague was no longer touching her. Disappointment smothered her brief happiness. Pivoting, she met his guarded expression. Painfully aware of the tight ache in her nipples, she hugged her torso. “You stopped.”

  “It was the end of our first lesson.”

  She frowned. “That was a lesson?”

  “Our energy often brings with it a sexual charge for us. Tap into that essence, and it can trigger a power surge similar to a climax.”

  Her cheeks heated. “I thought you were touching me because you wanted me.”

  A dark intensity entered Teague’s eyes. “I want to fuck you so badly, my balls are blue. But giving in to that urge would be stupid.”

  Heaviness sat like an elephant on her chest. “Why?”

  “We’re as different as two people can get, Ruby. You want to save the world, and I just want revenge and to save my own ass. You’re better off without me.”

  “Don’t I get a say in this decision?”

  “No. One of us has to keep some damn sense.” His jaw locked into a rigid line, Teague strode past her and headed to the copse of trees.

  She stared at his retreating back, the ache in her heart increasing with each step he took away from her. He should be the last person on Earth capable of tying her emotions into a tangle of messy knots. He was absolutely right about them being wrong for each other. The smartest thing she could do right now was walk away.

  Her legs wobbly, she started across the dusty plain, her unwavering sight set on Teague. She reached the ring of trees, and he turned to face her, his mouth a grim line. “Ruby—”

  Planting her palms squarely in the center of his broad chest, she shoved him against the trunk of the nearest oak. “You said what you had to say. Now it’s my turn.” Before he could interrupt or argue, she stood on tiptoe and caught his bottom lip between her teeth. A harsh breath rattled from his lungs, and she slid her hand behind his neck. The next second, the lush, wet heat of his tongue thrust inside her mouth as he grasped her ass and hauled her up against him. Locking one leg around his waist, she rubbed against his thickening erection and whimpered.

  Re-angling his mouth for a deeper, hungrier kiss, he swung her around until her back was the one pushed against the rough bark of the tree. Gripping her thigh higher, he ground his pelvis into hers. The friction tore a moan from her throat. Scraping his teeth along her jawbone, Teague slid a hot, open-mouthed kiss toward the sensitive crook of her neck.

  Her insides melting, she shivered. She wanted nothing more desperately than to feel the thick, hard length of his cock slide deep in her core, filling the emptiness and banishing her ever-present worries for a blissful moment. “Please, make love to me.”

  A tremor racked Teague’s body. She sensed the tension in him. The struggle for his control. She gyrated her hips, earning his rasping groan. “Damn it, Ruby. I’m not fucking you against this tree.”

  She pulled him in for another devouring kiss and gloried in the lusty moan that rumbled through his chest. His hand slipped between them and fumbled with her zipper. An instant later his palm was cupping her mound and two fingers were buried in her pussy. She gasped at the unexpected stretch. “That isn’t what I want.”

  Ignoring her, he pumped his fingers and ghosted his thumb over her clit. She sank her nails into his rock-hard biceps and fought for breath. “N-not this way.”

  He increased the pressure on her inner walls, hitting the sweet spot that brought stars dancing in her vision. She bowed her back, trying to stave off the approaching climax. His gaze hot with determination, Teague hooked his fingers, his aim precise and devastating.

  She can’t shift, but she can shake their world.

  Diamond Dust

  © 2013 Vivian Arend

  Takhini Wolves, Book 3

  Caroline Bradley is having one hell of a week. Her wolf lover has sniffed out his mate, making her an instant free agent. Not only that, Takhini territory has been overrun with aggressive bear-shifters electing a clan leader, and the wolf pack is feeling the effects—pushing her diplomatic skills to the limit.

  Tyler Harrison is a grizzly on a mis
sion. If he’s going to win the majority of the bears’ votes, he needs one final thing: a female companion. The only woman in town with influence over wolves, humans, and more bears than he’d like to admit, is Caroline.

  Despite the sexual pull between them, though, Tyler’s not seeking a permanent relationship. And Caroline isn’t looking to be anyone else’s political pawn. But she should have remembered that when shifters are involved, changes happen in the blink of an eye.

  Warning: Billionaire bear hero plus kick-ass human heroine equals a sexually volatile power struggle. Get ready for what might be the naughtiest game of tag that’s ever been played in the great outdoors.

  Enjoy the following excerpt for Diamond Dust:

  The partially open French doors caught his eye. He dropped his tie, grabbed up an apple from the massive fruit bowl decorating the kitchen counter and ate it as he wandered to the balcony railing. An incredible view greeted him, with the mountains rising behind the city streets. The lack of skyscrapers added to the beauty, and he breathed deep to fill his lungs with fresh air.

  A faint scent of human made him turn, but there was no one there. Only the door he’d left open behind him, and at the far side of the deck an open lounging area with a hot tub, the lid strangely askew.

  A hand draped over the far edge, just visible from his new position.

  Hell.

  Tyler raced forward, reached into the water and scooped up the limp body of a blonde woman. Her head had been resting on a drink holder, the only thing that had kept her from becoming completely submerged.

  “Wake up, little mermaid.” Tyler cradled her against him. He nudged the door open and brought her inside, dripping wet, examining her face for a reaction. She was breathing, but shallowly. He lowered her onto the couch then pulled a handy throw blanket over her shivering torso. “Can you hear me?”