Teased

by Rebecca Zanetti

  “Amen,” Theo said.

  Chalton grinned. It was good being with his brothers again. “You know what this all means, right?”

  Theo shook his head.

  “You’re both part of the Realm now, whether you like it or not.” Man, it’d be fun to see Dage try to meddle in Jared’s life. The king couldn’t help it.

  Jared snorted. “Great.”

  Yeah, it actually was great. Chalton nodded.

  Jared shuffled his feet. “I guess it wouldn’t harm us to align with the Realm. Dage was pretty cool about mom committing treason.”

  Chalton nodded. “He’s a bigger matchmaker than mom. God help us if they ever sit down to chat.”

  Theo coughed. “They both can stay away from my love life. I’m not mating for centuries.”

  “We’ll see.” Chalton downed the rest of his glass and turned for the doorway. “Speaking of mates, I need to set things straight with Olivia.”

  Theo cleared his throat. “What if she’s not okay with, well, everything? She did faint.”

  Chalton nodded, not stopping. “I know, and she doesn’t have a choice. She will be all right.” He hoped that was true. The idea of losing her now hurt somewhere deeper than his body.

  He steeled his shoulders, strode into the kitchen, and tossed her over his shoulder.

  She gave a small eek and tried to find her balance.

  He grinned. They might as well get things off to the right start. Planting his hand across her ass, he easily kept her in place.

  What in the world was happening? Once again, she was upside down over his massive shoulder. “Damn it, Chalton.” She punched him in the kidney. “You have got to stop doing this.” She’d been in the middle of a discussion with Helen about real events at the turn of the century.

  “No.” His strides were relaxed and easy as they wound through several hallways to enter a bedroom decorated with a nautical theme. He bent over, and she ended up sitting on a bed. “We need to talk.”

  Her heart hurt. “Are you mad at me?”

  He frowned and crossed his muscled arms. “No. Are you afraid of me?”

  “No.” She licked her lips. “Sorry about the whole fainting thing. I missed breakfast.” And had never been held at knifepoint or seen a fight to the death.

  He grinned. “You’re going to mate me.”

  Yeah, she was. “Well. You might have to court me first, and meet my grandfather.” And tell her all about his hundreds of years of life. Maybe she should write a fictional novel about his times. Yeah.

  “I can do that.” He leaned over her and brushed his lips against hers.

  “We have plenty of time to court.” What a nice, old-fashioned word.

  He leaned back, his face an inch away from hers, his dark eyes blazing. “Not really. I’ll give you a week, but you’re wearing my bite at that point.”

  She breathed in. “Wait a minute.”

  “I will. An entire week.”

  It was going to take her a lot longer than a week to tame his Neanderthal tendencies. She might as well do it while being immortal. “A week it is.” She smiled.

  Possessiveness and promise glittered in his masculine gaze. “I love you, Olivia.”

  She wrapped both arms around his neck. “I love you more.”

  “Impossible.” Then he kissed her, filling her with what could only be love and hope for the future. The very long future.

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  TAME ME by J. Kenner

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  Bundles:

  BUNDLE ONE

  Includes:

  Forever Wicked by Shayla Black

  Crimson Twilight by Heather Graham

  Captured in Surrender by Liliana Hart

  Silent Bite by Tina Folsom

  BUNDLE TWO

  Includes:

  Dungeon Games by Lexi Blake

  Azagoth by Larissa Ione

  Need You Now by Lisa Renee Jones

  Show My, Baby by Cherise Sinclair

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  Includes:

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  The Flame by Christopher Rice

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  TRICKED

  A Dark Protectors Novella

  By Rebecca Zanetti

  Coming October 25, 2016

  Click here to pre-order

  He Might Save Her

  Former police psychologist Ronni Alexander had it all before a poison attacked her heart and gave her a death sentence. Now, on her last leg, she has an opportunity to live if she mates a vampire. A real vampire. One night of sex and a good bite, and she’d live forever with no more weaknesses. Well, except for the vampire whose dominance is over the top, and who has no clue how to deal with a modern woman who can take care of herself.

  She Might Kill Him

  Jared Reese, who has no intention of ever mating for anythi
ng other than convenience, agrees to help out his new sister in law by saving her friend’s life with a quick tussle in bed. The plan seems so simple. They’d mate, and he move on with his life and take risks as a modern pirate should. Except after one night with Ronni, one moment of her sighing his name, and he wants more than a mating of convenience. Now all he has to do is convince Ronni she wants the same thing. Good thing he’s up for a good battle.

  MERCURY STRIKING

  By Rebecca Zanetti

  Book #1 of The Scorpius Syndrome series

  Coming January 26, 2016

  Click here to purchase

  With nothing but rumors to lead her, Lynn Harmony has trekked across a nightmare landscape to find one man—a mysterious, damaged legend who protects the weak and leads the strong. He’s more than muscle and firepower—and in post-plague L.A., he’s her only hope. As the one woman who could cure the disease, Lynn is the single most volatile—and vulnerable—creature in this new and ruthless world. But face to face with Jax Mercury…

  Danger has never looked quite so delicious…

  “Thrilling post-apocalyptic romance at its dark, sizzling best!” —Lara Adrian

  “Nothing is easy or black or white in Zanetti’s grim new reality, but hope is key, and I hope she writes faster!” —New York Times bestselling author Larissa Ione

  MERCURY STRIKING

  In the end, there is no doubt that Mother Nature will win.

  --Dr. Frank. X Harmony, Philosophies

  CHAPTER ONE

  Life on Earth is at the ever-increasing risk of being wiped out by a disaster, such as sudden global warming, nuclear war, a genetically engineered virus, or other dangers we have not yet thought of.

  --Stephen Hawking

  Despair hungered in the darkness, not lingering, not languishing . . . but waiting to bite. No longer the little brother of rage, despair had taken over the night, ever present, an actor instead of an afterthought.

  Lynne picked her way along the deserted twelve-lane interstate, allowing the weak light from the moon to guide her. An unnatural silence hung heavy over the barren land. Rusting carcasses of vehicles lined the sides; otherwise, the once-vibrant 405 was dead.

  Her months of hiding had taught her stealth. Prey needed stealth, as did the hunter.

  She was both.

  The tennis shoes she’d stolen from an abandoned thrift store protected her feet from the cracked asphalt, while a breeze scented with death and decomposing vegetation lifted her hair. The smell had saturated the wind as she’d trekked across the country.

  The world was littered with dead bodies and devoid of souls.

  A click echoed in the darkness. About time. Predators, both human and animal, crouched in every shadow, but she’d made it closer to what used to be Los Angeles than she’d hoped.

  A strobe light hit her full on, rendering sight impossible. The miracle of functioning batteries brought pain. She closed her eyes. They’d either kill her or not. Either way, no need to go blind. “I want to see Mercury.” Since she’d aimed for the center of Mercury’s known territory, hopefully she’d find him and not some rogue gang.

  Silence. Then several more clicks. Guns of some type. They’d closed in silently, just as well trained as she’d heard. As she’d hoped.

  She forced strength into her voice. “You don’t want to kill me without taking me to Mercury first.” Jax Mercury, to be exact. If he still lived. If not, she was screwed anyway.

  “Why would we do that?” A voice from the darkness, angry and near.

  She squinted, blinking until her pupils narrowed. The bright light exposed her and concealed them, weakening her knees, but she gently set her small backpack on the ground. She had to clear her throat to force out sound. “I’m Lynne Harmony.”

  Gasps, low and male, filled the abyss around her. “Bullshit,” a voice hissed from her left.

  She tilted her head toward the voice, and then slowly, so slowly they wouldn’t be spooked, she unbuttoned her shirt. No catcalls, no suggestive responses followed. Shrugging her shoulders, she dropped the cotton to the ground, facing the light.

  She hadn’t worn a bra, but she doubted the echoing exhales of shock were from her size Bs. More likely the shimmering blue outline of her heart caught their attention. Yeah, she was a freak. Typhoid Mary in the body of a woman who’d failed. Big time. But she might be able to save the men surrounding her. “So. Jax Mercury. Now.”

  One man stepped closer. Gang tattoos lined his face, inked tears showing his kills. He might have been thirty, he might have been sixty. Regardless, he was dangerous, and he smelled like dust combined with body odor. A common smell in the plague-riddled world. Eyeing her chest, he quickly crossed himself. “Holy Mary, Mother of God.”

  “Not even close.” A silent overpass loomed a few yards to the north, and her voice echoed off the concrete. The piercing light assaulted her, spinning the background thick and dark. Her temples pounded, and her hollow stomach ached. Wearily, she reached down and grabbed her shirt, shrugging it back on. She figured the “take me to your leader” line would get her shot. “Do you want to live or not?”

  He met her gaze, his scarred upper lip twisting. “Yes.”

  It was the most sincere sound she’d heard in months. “We’re running out of time.” Time had deserted them long ago, but she needed to get a move on. “Please.” The sound shocked her, the civility of it, a word she’d forgotten how to use. The slightest of hopes warmed that blue organ in her chest, reminding her of who she used to be. Who she’d lost.

  Another figure stepped forward, this one big and silent. Deadly power vibrated in the shift of muscle as light illuminated him from behind, shrouding his features. “I didn’t tell you to put your shirt back on.” No emotion, no hint of humanity echoed in the deep rumble.

  His lack of emotion twittered anxiety through her empty abdomen. Without missing a beat, she secured each button, keeping the movements slow and sure. “I take it you’re Mercury.” Regardless of name, there was no doubt the guy was in charge.

  “If I am?” Soft, his voice promised death.

  A promise she’d make him keep. Someday. The breeze picked up, tumbling weeds across the lonely 405 to halt against a Buick stripped to its rims. She quelled a shiver. Any weakness shown might get her killed. “You know who I am,” she whispered.

  “I know who you say you are.” His overwhelming form blocked out the light, reminding her of her smaller size. “Take off your shirt.”

  Something about his command gave her pause. Before, she hadn’t cared. But with him so close she could smell male, an awareness of her femininity brought fresh fear. Nevertheless, she again unbuttoned her shirt.

  This time, her hands trembled.

  Straightening her spine, she squared her shoulders and left the shirt on, the worn material gaping in front.

  He waited.

  She lifted her chin, trying to meet his eyes although she couldn’t see them. The men around them remained silent, yet alertness carried on the oxygen. How many guns were trained on her? She wanted to tell them it would only take one. Though she’d been through hell, she’d never really learned to fight.

  The wind whipped into action, lifting her long hair away from her face. Her arms tightened against her rib cage. Goose bumps rose over her skin. She was accustomed to being vulnerable, and she was used to feeling alone. But she’d learned to skirt danger.

  There was no doubt the man in front of her was all danger.

  She shivered again.

  Swearing quietly, he stepped in, long, tapered fingers drawing her shirt apart. He shifted to the side, allowing light to blast her front. Neon blue glowed along her flesh.

  “Jesus.” He pressed his palm against her breastbone—directly above her heart.

  Shock tightened her muscles, and that heart ripped into a gallop. Her nipples pebbled from the breeze. Warmth cascaded from his hand when he spread his fingers over the odd blue of her skin, easily spanning her upper chest. When was
the last time someone had touched her gently?

  And gentle, he was.

  The contact had her looking down at his damaged hand. Faded white scars slashed across his knuckles, above the veins, past his wrist. The bizarre glow from her heart filtered through his fingers. Her entire chest was aqua from within, those veins closest to her heart, which glowed neon blue, shining strong enough to be seen through her ribs and sternum.

  He exhaled softly, removing his touch.

  An odd sense of loss filtered down her spine. Then surprise came as he quickly buttoned her shirt to the top.

  He clasped her by the elbow. “Cut the light.” His voice didn’t rise, but instantly, the light was extinguished. “I’m Mercury. What do you want?”

  What a question. What she wanted, nobody could provide. Yet she struggled to find the right words. Night after night, fleeing under darkness to reach him, she’d planned for this moment. But the words wouldn’t come. She wanted to breathe. To rest. To hide. “Help. I need your help.” The truth tumbled out too fast to stop.

  He stiffened and tightened his hold. “That, darlin’, you’re gonna have to earn.”

  Welcome to Storm, Texas, where passion runs hot, desire runs deep, and secrets have the power to destroy...

  Nestled among rolling hills and painted with vibrant wildflowers, the bucolic town of Storm, Texas, seems like nothing short of perfection.