by Red Phoenix
As Layla lay there in the quiet, she braved a question. “Amira, where is your family tonight?”
“Wynn takes the children to stay with the widow when it is my turn to care for the Keeper.”
“Do you think she knows what happens during the Ritual?”
“Wynn does not ask questions. She respects the need for secrecy and enjoys the status of mate to a Daric Alpha.”
“Do you think she resents me?”
“She does not know you, Keeper, but she was friends with your mother and holds you in high esteem.”
“I do remember seeing Mama and Wynn together. Maybe I should invite her to gather herbs with me sometime. I would like to get to know her better.”
“I am sure she would be agreeable to such a request.”
Layla asked quietly, “Amira, what was my mother like during the Ritual?”
He pressed her closer to him before he answered, his voice tainted with sadness. “She was graceful and enthusiastic. Mika cared for her Alphas well. We all loved her.”
Layla bit her lip. She didn’t want to cry, so she changed the subject. “Tonight was unexpected, Amira. Are you normally like that when you are in wolf form?”
“No, Keeper. It was different with you.”
She turned to face him. “Different how?”
“I have felt a connection with you I never felt with Mika. I felt it that first Bonding. It is the reason for my hope.”
Layla rubbed her stomach, feeling as if she could still sense his seed flowing inside her. “I know it is unusual to produce a pup during the Bonding.”
“Yes, it is a rare occurrence.” He sighed, sounding vexed. “Normally, having the Keeper mate just before the full moon is not allowed. The mixing of seed goes against the purpose of the Bonding Ritual.”
She sensed his tension. “Are you upset, then?”
“I understood the necessity of it but am highly displeased at the timing.”
“I think this was hard on all of us, Amira. As much as I enjoy spending this time with you, I miss my mate.”
He chuckled as he covered them both with his blanket. “Go to sleep, Keeper. You will be with your mate in the morning. Tonight I only want you dreaming about me and our pup.”
“I am too young to be tied down with a pup, Amira. You’ll be old and gray before I am ready.”
She giggled when he reached down and tickled her ribs. “Go to sleep, Keeper.”
Layla obediently closed her eyes and drifted off into a fitful slumber. That night she had many dreams, but the images were disturbing. She dreamed of blood and tears, claw and fang, and in the far distance, the sound of a wee cub’s cry…
The third in the Keeper series coming out fall of 2014
You can find Red on:
Twitter: @redphoenix69
Website: RedPhoenix69.com
Facebook: Red Phoenix
Red Phoenix is the author of:
Brie Learns the Art of Submission
* Available in eBook and paperback
(Submissive Exploration—A young woman enters a world of new experiences when she enrolls in the Submissive Training Center)
Brie Embraces the Heart of Submission
* Available in eBook and Paperback
(Submission of the Heart—After being collared, Brie learns that submission is sexier and more challenging than she’d ever imagined)
Blissfully Undone
* Available in eBook and paperback
(Snowy Fun—Two people find themselves snowbound in a cabin where hidden love can flourish, taking one couple on a sensual journey into ménage à trois)
Sensual Erotica: The Erotic Love Story of Amy and Troy
* Available in eBook and paperback
(Sexual Adventures—True love reigns, but fate continually throws Troy and Amy into the arms of others)
His Scottish Pet: Dom of the Ages
* Available in eBook and paperback
(Scottish Dom—A sexy Dom escapes to Scotland in the late 1400s. He encounters a waif who has the potential to free him from his tragic curse)
(Novellas and Novelettes available as eBooks)
Novella
Varick: The Reckoning
(Savory Vampire—A dark, sexy vampire story. The hero navigates the dangerous world he has been thrust into with lusty passion and a pure heart)
Novelettes
Keeper of the Wolf Clan (Keeper of Wolves, #1)
(Sexual Secrets—A virginal werewolf must act as the clan’s mysterious Keeper)
Socrates Inspires Cherry to Blossom
(Satisfying Surrender—a mature and curvaceous woman becomes fascinated by an online Dom who has much to teach her)
In 9 Days
(Sweet Romance—A young girl falls in love with the new student, nicknamed ‘the Freak’)
9 Days and Counting
(Sacrificial Love—The sequel to In 9 Days delves into the emotional reunion of two longtime lovers)
And Then He Saved Me
(Saving Tenderness—When a young girl tries to kill herself, a man of great character intervenes with a love that heals)
Play With Me at Noon
(Seeking Fulfillment—A desperate wife lives out her fantasies by taking five different men in five days)
Connect with Red on Substance B
Substance B is a new platform for independent authors to directly connect with their readers. Please visit Red’s Substance B page where you can:
• Sign up for Red’s newsletter
• Send a message to Red
• See all platforms where Red’s books are sold
Visit Substance B today to learn more about your favorite independent authors.
