Wow, this review came across my email this morning from my publisher and I don’t know how I missed it. Makes my day to get these.
Two Lips Reviews gives Dirty Deeds 4 1/2 Kisses!
Here’s what they had to say:
Dirty Deeds by Eliza Gayle was one hot read. Between the demon lifestyle and the D/s lifestyle, my face flushed red. I was happy she met with the man who’d left her with unanswered questions, and finally got to fulfill those needs she’d been holding for him for so long. This is one short read I’d recommend to any number of readers.
Taking a quick break from the writing to say hi and write a little something on the blog. Since I haven’t done a T.V. Tuesday post in a while I thought I’d give a shout out to a new show I’m watching.
You know how it is in the summer. The regular networks are all on reruns and the movie channels are playing the same 10 movies over and over again. So this just means I’m out there looking for something new or at least new to me.
Of course, I’m glued to HBO on Sunday night for True Blood. (Can’t believe there is only one more show in the season.
Thankfully a friend of mine turned me onto a brand new show called Covert Affairs on USA. Her words were “It’s fun.” and I have to say I agree 100 percent.
Piper Perabo (Coyote Ugly) stars as a brand spanking new CIA operative with an interesting cast of coworkers and family to keep her busy. The highlight of the show? Auggie her blind tech guy coworker.
Love love love Auggie.
And any show that will put a flogger in the hands of Oded Fehr, if even only for a few seconds, is my new favorite show. lol
Trust me. I searched valiantly for a picture of that scene with no luck. But he guest starred I think in the 5th episode and it was a good one.
If you try out Covert Affairs, let me know what you think.
Just got the new cover for Bottoms Up last night and had to share. What do you think?
Here’s the unofficial blurb:
Snooping is risky business…sometimes it pays off in unexpected ways.
Jenn has been in love with her best friend since college and despite their years apart she is determined to at least find out if he has any interest in her. When the opportunity opens up in the form of a job interview in his hometown, she jumps on a plane with a plan to see what happens.
Riley walked away from Jenn after college to explore and understand the dark side of him that harbored needs he knew she was too young to understand. They kept in touch and after years of exploration into his kinks, he’s decided the time for hiding the truth from the woman he loved has come to an end.
When Jenn finds a bdsm book and a flyer for a local sex club in his condo, she is both shocked and intrigued. Riley catches her red-handed snooping through his things and dares her to give him and his lifestyle a chance. Two days to explore her potential submissive side and see where it leads.
With no hesitation and barely a thought to how far he might go, she jumps at the chance to prove she’s the woman for him, even if it’s just for the weekend.
No final word yet on a release date. That comes after we get through edits. But look for it this fall from Resplendence Publishing.
Today we are discussing the music we listen to as we write. I don’t always have music playing when I write. Sometimes I prefer the quiet and sometimes I’m just too lazy to dig out the right kind of music for what I’m writing. For most books I find a movie soundtrack that has the same energy vibe I am looking for and simply listen to that.
For most of my paranormal books I’ve developed a pattern of movie soundtracks and not surprising they are all paranormal movies. But for better or worse I like most of the music on these and they get me in the right place before I nearly tune them out once I’m writing. They are:
Twilight
New Moon
Blood & Chocolate
All 3 Underworld movies
The Covenant
Now some books are either inspired by a band’s music or their music so fits the theme I will listen to only them while writing. Two examples are my sexy demon novella, Dirty Deeds and the Steampunk story I am writing now. For Dirty Deeds you’ve all heard it so much I’m sure you’ve already said it. AC/DC my favorite childhood band. It was AC/DC all the time while I wrote that book and I LOVED IT. That is some of my favorite feel good music.
For the Steampunk it’s Abney Park. I first heard Captain Robert and his crew at Dragon Con a few years back and instantly fell in love. I really can listen to them all day long.
Then there are other books where I have actually hunted down a few songs and made an actual varied playlist. But I will admit that at times I have quite strange taste in music and rarely pick something current. For the Purgatory series I wanted that Fetish club vibe and so I started with the Tainted Love remix by Marilyn Manson.
The rest of the Purgatory playlist includes:
Die For You by Megan McCauley
Zombie by the Cranberries
I Sit on Acid by Lords of Acid
Were in the Blurred Line Closer by Nine Inch Nails
Terrible Lie by Nine Inch Nails
Hole to Feed Depeche Mode
Get Your Body Beat by Combichrist
Head Like a Hole by Nine Inch Nails
This is My Rifle by Combichrist
The Fragile by Nine Inch Nails
Another series where I have a few favorite songs to listen to include the Black Cougar series. Although even in my lists you’ll notice several songs by the same artist. Once I find one of their songs that makes me feel it, I usually add a few of their other songs.
The Catshifter playlist includes:
Stripped by Shiny Toy Guns
Steve McQueen by Sheryl Crow
Higher by Creed
Cat Scratch Fever by Ted Nugent
Safe and Sound by Sheryl Crow
My Own Prison by Creed
Blue on Black Kenny Wayne Shephard
Soak up the Sun by Sheryl Crow
The First Cuts the Deepest by Sheryl Crow
My Give A Damn’s Busted by Joe Dee Messina
Black Water by the Doobie Brothers
If It Makes You Happy by Sheryl Crow
She Talks to Angels by the Black Crowes
Hurt sung by Johnny Cash
One Last Breath by Creed
Now follow the trail and see what everyone else is listening to as they write.
For months now I’ve been writing and writing and writing. And squirelling away some of those books with the promise to revise and edit them when I get time. Yeah, such a bad idea. If I wait until I have time… you know the drill.
I did manage to get a few polished up and now I have some contracts to announce. Three in fact.
First is Bottom’s Up with Resplendence Publishing. A new contemporary BDSM story that if you like my purgatory series, then you’ll definitely want this one. No definite date of release yet, although it looks like November 2010. Here is an unofficial blurb:
Snooping is risky business…sometimes it pays off in unexpected ways.
Jenn has been in love with her best friend since college and despite their years apart she is determined to at least find out if he has any interest in her. When the opportunity opens up in the form of a job interview in his hometown, she jumps on a plane with a plan to see what happens.
Riley walked away from Jenn after college to explore and understand the dark side of him that harbored needs he knew she was too young to understand. They kept in touch and after years of exploration into his kinks, he’s decided the time for hiding the truth from the woman he loved has come to an end.
When Jenn finds a bdsm book and a flyer for a local sex club in his condo, she is both shocked and intrigued. Riley catches her red-handed snooping through his things and dares her to give him and his lifestyle a chance. Two days to explore her potential submissive side and see where it leads.
With no hesitation and barely a thought to how far he might go, she jumps at the chance to prove she’s the woman for him, even if it’s just for the weekend.
Second is Black Moon Rising with Loose Id. A new action packed and super sexy wolf shifter menage. While all release dates are subject to change this one is tentatively set for October 2010.
And a VERY unofficial blurb: (read: I wrote a summary but it needs some work)
As the next in line for the role of alpha, Sierra’s whole life has been about the pack and the rules that govern them. But that didn’t stop her from falling for two lovers, including Nolan, her human guardian who is strictly forbidden from her. Now the night of the Black Moon has arrived and she must mate with a wolf to get the job. A magical bond that can never be broken.
Her decision to mate with Marek, and keep Nolan a secret isn’t an easy choice. But when a raid on the pack during the ceremony brings a third man from her past looking for more, all hell breaks loose. Everyone she’s ever loved wants to fight for dominance in the relationship any which way they can. Sex and violence come easy to her kind but love and death take things to a whole new level and not everyone can survive.
And third is Tied and Teased with Loose Id. I am so excited about this one since I’ve been wanting to write about bondage photography for so long. It was just one of those things that kept getting pushed to the back burner. Now it’s front and center and hopefully coming you way in December. I’ve not written a story summary but here is a tiny teaser from the proposal.
Eve Blake has been working at Model Mayhem as their receptionist for three months now. While she’s seen some rather unusual things as the employee of a fetish photographer, nothing compares to the fantasies she conjures in her own mind. All of which conveniently star one Chase Miller…her boss.
When a custom photo order comes in for a plus-sized red head, Eve sees an opportunity she can’t pass up. Ready for an adventure, she volunteers for the job and Chase accepts. Maybe pretending to be a sexual slave for Chase’s camera will get her one step closer to the man with the ability to satisfy even her darkest needs.
So that’s what is coming later this year. What do you think?
This weeks theme is the authors favorite scenes and wow is that one hard. There are so many scenes that I love. However, most of my true favorites are when I get the opportunity to reveal a new twist. So to post one of those here would be tantamount to spoiling the book.
I really love the scene in Awaken when Abby sings to Caleb. But I have offered that one here more than once every time the subject music comes up so I won’t do that one.
Instead I am turning to my latest in the Black Cougar series, Kane. The heroine of this book spends a great deal of time being angry, stressed, chased, or fighting the pull of Kane. But there is one small scene where she comes face to face with him in cougar form and I think it shows a softer more vulnerable side of her.
So without further ado:
Excerpt:
Lara hurriedly dressed in shorts and a tee before making a grab for her running shoes. Staying cooped up in this house for one minute more was out of the question. With little regard to whom or what she mightencounter around here, she was going for a run. She opened the front door and ran headlong into Kane. Fuck.
“Running away isn’t an option.”
“I’m not running away, I’m just running. I need to get out of this house and away from you for a while. Things are out of control.”
“The perimeter of the property is five miles, stay within it and you shouldn’t have any problems. Go outside it and you’re on your own.”
“Yes, Sir.” She gave him a mock salute to go with her smart-ass response and sprinted off the porch. Her legs were cold and unstretched so the first few minutes were a challenge, but once she warmed up she got up to full speed. Something about going for a run in nature always cleared her mind and lifted her mood.
The colors of the plants and trees exploded around her as she ran through the unfamiliar grounds, making sure to keep track of her distance as much as possible. The fresh scent of earth and wildlife perked up her senses as she made her away across a shallow stream. Tension and anger eventually gave way to the loose and lax sensation freedom always gave her. It had been far too long since she’d given herself a chance to stop and think. After a while of running the sweat soaked through her clothes and her energy began to wane, but the setting sun lured her to keep going and enjoy it for as long as possible.
She slowed to a stop and movement from the corner of her left eye caught her attention. She spun around, catching a quick glimpse of a large dark animal behind a stand of trees. A grizzly?
No, this was no bear, but she was being followed. “You can come out now.” She waited to see if he’d show himself.
The huge black cat bounded out from behind the tree and ran towards her. For a minute she held her breath and worried whether he would attack her. She presented him the perfect opportunity to carry out her death sentence. Without her magick she had nothing to protect herself. Damn, he really is humongous.
It slowed a few feet in front of her and stared at her with his golden eyes. This was the first time she’d gotten more than a fleeting glimpse of one of the black cougars. Malcolm had never shifted in front of her, and when she’d had to fight them there hadn’t been time to really look at them.
Seeing him like this twisted her up. He edged forward and nuzzled her hand and she scratched him behind his ears, loving the soft silky sensation of his fur. This complicated things. He complicated things. Hell, the whole situation did. Life had seemed simpler when her only goal had been to kill. Kill or be killed had been her whole life, even when she worked with Malcolm in her attempt to find a weakness.
She crouched down on her heels, bringing herself to eye level with Kane. “I didn’t need you to protect me out here, you know. I can take care of myself.” He purred under her hand and some of her anger dissipated. Apparently she was a sucker for a pretty face and a sexy purr. Who knew?
“You know, a little purring isn’t going to get us out of this mess.” She said her words through a smile and he nuzzled against her cheek, and lord help her, she nuzzled him right back. She couldn’t resist cuddling up with a sexy, sleek black cat whose sole purpose in life was killing. Or so she’d thought, but the more time she spent with Kane the more she came to realize he had a human side, too, not to mention a human body that made her scream so loud she would likely disturb anyone for miles.
All the emotions of the day crashed in on her, mixing in with this inexplicable draw to the cougar in her arms. She wanted him and she wanted peace. Her eyes slid closed on the thought and the air around her changed as he shifted back to the Kane she was beginning to know well. They looked at each other but neither spoke for a minute, reluctant to break the mood. He nudged at her neck again, this time with skin instead of fur. His lips traced across her neck and chin to her mouth where he probed and licked the inside.
With a certain weakness for his kisses she suddenly couldn’t remember why she was mad at him. It would come to her later. How could anyone be expected to think straight when her clit throbbed like a musical instrument? When his arms wrapped around her waist and pulled her off balance, she fell forward, feeling much of his naked body pressed against her. Fuck, he feels good.
“You shouldn’t do that.” “Do what?” She wickedly licked a nipple, taking him by surprise. “Get aroused around a naked man who can smell you.”
Don’t forget to follow the trail and enjoy the rest of the wonderful snippet authors.
It’s almost summer and already the heat is rising here in the South. I actually like the heat at times. Unlike the cold when I can never get warmed up. When I get hot its easy enough to cool down in the pool, the ocean, the lake or even the air conditioned house. When its warm I can walk outside–even if its only in the morning, or I can sit with my laptop on the back porch…So bring on the heat.
Obsession of Jayde is set in coastal South Carolina in the summer and things heat up quickly in more ways thank one.
Excerpt:
Jayde rushed down the sidewalk, sweat trickling down her back as she hurried toward the glass doors of the bank. She gripped her bag tighter, willing her hands to quit shaking. What could possibly be in that damn safety-deposit box to warrant the increased fear racing through her the closer she got to it? It had to be the heat, the hot, sticky air she dragged in and out of her lungs. Much longer, and she would certainly melt.
She’d grown accustomed to the mild climate of San Francisco and had forgotten that during the summer in South Carolina, you never knew what to expect. Rain one day, heat the next, but always the miserable humidity. Instead of the jacket and skirt she wore, she longed for a thin sundress and sandals. Not to mention a tall, cold drink. The kind with an umbrella and some fruit on the side. Something with enough liquor in it to make her forget why she was here.
Her stomach knotted in grief at the memory of the polite phone call she’d received a few days ago. She’d woken to the shrill ring of her cell phone at an ungodly hour of the morning and had been ready to curse the person calling. Those words were forgotten when the caller informed her that her beloved grandmother had died the night before, and that she was needed in Hickory Falls as soon as possible.
It had been several years, more than five in fact, since she’d come here to visit, and she had no idea what would await her on Main Street. Jayde always had an excuse whenever her gran would ask her to come. Looking back now, every one of them sounded even lamer than the one before. Pangs of regret sliced through her as she considered all the time she had wasted. And for what? A dead-end job with an ex-fiancé as a boss?
The only information she had managed to pry out of the attorney was that renovations had recently been completed, and there were currently a pair of tenants living in the guest apartment on the third floor, next to her grandmother’s residence, which she guessed was now hers. She’d looked over the photographs the attorney had given her, and she had to admit she was quite impressed with her grandmother’s vision; the place looked fantastic and not at all like the run-down house she remembered. But nobody had been able or willing to give her a straight answer about the financial status or future plans for the historic home. She would have to dig through her grandmother’s things and find all her financial records herself.
Her gaze swept across each business lining the sidewalk until she spied the familiar stone arch of the old town bank. Anxious to get inside, she pushed through the revolving door, and a blast of cool air brushed her face. Goose bumps prickled across her heated skin, and she wondered if she could just stand there awhile to recover. On a slow sigh of regret, she moved on and searched out the information desk to find a petite, dark-haired woman eyeing her curiously with a smile on her face. She headed in that direction.
“How can I help you today, ma’am?” The thick Southern accent rolled from her tongue.
“I need to access my safe-deposit box.” Jayde showed the woman the gold key she’d been gripping in her hand.
“No problem. Bob can take care of that for you.” She waved to a tall balding man across the room. Jayde watched him approach, wondering if his strictly starched appearance and pasty skin hid a darker soul underneath. Where the hell did that come from? This isn’t San Francisco.
After he verified her ID and declared her the official owner of her grandmother’s box, Bob led her through a series of lifeless corridors in the back of the building. Funny, the farther she followed him, the more her anxiety ratcheted up. Perspiration broke out on her forehead, even with the chilly temperature, and her hands shook harder than before. Silly, really. What could her grandmother have left her that would give her any reason to be nervous? Or for that matter, what could she have left that would require the security of a safe-deposit box?
That was the real question that had burned through Jayde since she’d been told about it. She’d never thought of her gran as the secretive type, but there was no telling what she’d been up to before she died.
“Your box is right in here, ma’am. I’ll just leave you alone, if there is nothing else you need.” While he spoke, his eyes darted down to her breasts, which didn’t relieve the nerves.
What a perv! She turned away from him in disgust and surveyed the room, a tiny, smaller-than-her-walk-in-closet area that was lined with lockboxes. “This is fine. Thank you.”
She gritted her teeth and stepped inside. A stronger sense of foreboding surrounded her like a thick and powerful cloak. Her skin prickled, and the tiny hairs on the back of her neck stood on end. It took every ounce of willpower she possessed not to turn and run.
What the hell?
She searched through the numbers until she located the right slot. Maybe she should leave. Her grandmother’s will had left her with a cryptic message about her life being about to change forever. It had said there would be no turning back, all fate was hers. At the time, she’d assumed they were the wild ramblings of an aging mind.
Now she wasn’t so sure.
Slowly she released the breath she’d been holding, one fraction at a time, searching for an internal calm that seemed to elude her. With trembling hands, she pulled the container from the shelf marked with her number and carried it to the table.
She slid the key into the lockbox and turned it.
Jayde lifted the lid to find another box, an old, ornate wooden one to be exact. How old, she had no idea, but from the brown, aged wood and odd markings, she could only guess it was really old—as in centuries old. Her fingers brushed the edges, and her skin tingled from her arms to the back of her neck. When she lifted it from the safe, her throat tightened, making her breathing seem labored. As she eyed the box, she couldn’t help but think how silly she was behaving. It’s just a box.
Her fingers slid along the seam, trying to find the spot that would open it. Finally it dawned on her that the series of levers created a pattern, and she would have to follow it to get inside. One by one she moved the pieces of the puzzle until only one remained.
She held her breath, pressed the last lock, and flipped open the box. Sucking in a deep breath, she stared down at the intriguing antique gold necklace nestled in the corner. The filigreed gold of the chain had aged to a shimmery bronze color, and the intricate beading work around the edges of the rough-cut links gave it a delicate yet sturdy look.
In the center of the delicate arcs of the pendant sat a pearlescent oval moonstone, sparkling in the artificial light of the room. The stone was large and flat, so that when she ran her thumb across it, she found it to be smooth as glass. But where she expected a cool, solid surface, she found heat and life. Jayde pulled it from the box and held it up in front of her. The stone seemed to change color as it moved in the light. She guessed the necklace to be the perfect length to nestle between the breasts, atop the beating heart of its owner.
The weight and texture of it seemed perfect, not too heavy nor too light. She wanted nothing more than to put it on and wear it. Feel it against her skin. Why had her grandmother hidden it away in a bank? More importantly, why had she never seen her grandmother wear it? It was far too beautiful a piece to never be appreciated and kept hidden. Unable to resist, she unhooked the clasp and slid the chain under her hair.
With the necklace fastened, she let the chain fall, and the dangling moonstone did exactly as she’d thought. It slid between her breasts to nestle in the cleavage there. The contrast of the cool temperature of the chain and the heat of the stone felt delicious against her flushed skin. A sudden crackle of energy swept the length of her body, causing her to shiver. Heat continued to build inside her, until her sex tingled with arousal and surprising need.
Jayde’s fingers followed the sensation as she skimmed her hands up the seam of her skirt, stopping at her hips. She looked around the room, hoping to find something she could use as a mirror; she wanted to see how it looked. No luck. She would have to wait until she got to the house before she could admire the beautiful necklace around her neck. Not to mention figure out why her pussy throbbed between her legs.
Unable to resist, Jayde slid her hand down and cupped herself, applying pressure to her clit. Common sense told her to stop. Yet her hand rubbed harder as carnal, wicked thoughts filled her head. Maybe she could just go with it for a few minutes.
“Is there anything you need in there?”
Her hand jerked at the bank manager’s voice outside the door. Heat flooded her face as she smoothed her skirt and fought back a desire she didn’t understand.
“No…no, I have what I need.” Not really, but this was not the time and place to figure that out.
Opting to keep the necklace on, she picked up the box and tucked it under her arm. No need to keep this locked up here, not when she fully intended to wear the beautiful stone.
A piece of paper fluttered to the ground as she lifted the wooden box. Unfolding the worn and wrinkled paper, she found one sentence scrawled inside.
Beware the obsession.
Be sure to follow the trail for more snippety goodness.
Music often plays a large part in many of my books. Whether it be characters that are involved in music, playlists that I use while writing my books, or as in the case of Dirty Deeds, inspiration for a character.
Melody is a newly created sex demon who is obsessed with AC/DC. Not unlike myself who uses AC/DC as my go to music to cure any bad mood. I love her sarcasm, her newly awakened interest in all things sexual, and her naivete in the seriousness of being a demon tasked with collecting souls.
The story opens with her having to go through a kind of job performance review. If you’ve ever sat through one of them you know how nerve wracking they are. This snippet starts at the tail end of that scene.
But before you get to the excerpt, how about a little mood music?
Excerpt:
“Melody, you have five days. Five days to meet this month’s quota, or else.” She didn’t want to know what the “or else” was. She knew for certain it would be far worse than anything she could imagine. “Do you really understand this is your final opportunity? Either you become the productive little Sex Demon you were made to be, or I’ll be forced to terminate your contract and turn you over to the gatekeeper for the appropriate eternal punishment.” He scribbled something in a folder and then slammed it shut.
She didn’t need to hear anything more. She may not want to steal the vile souls required of her, but the other option would be far worse. “Yes, sir, I understand.”
“Good girl.” His puffed up and twisted lips curved into a bit of a smile as she got up to leave. “You go on back home now and take care of business. Five days, Melody. I’m not kidding about this.”
Right. Five days to collect five souls, or I’m going to find out that hell does have more fury than a woman scorned.
Melody’s boss sent her away with a wave of his hand, hurtling her through a dense fog and rematerializing her in…water. “What the—?” She opened her eyes and found herself flat on her ass in the fountain outside her apartment building. “Hell’s bells.” She scrambled to her feet, pulling her micromini down over her exposed bottom as she did. “Harold, that is so not funny!”
“Who’s Harold, dear?” She jerked at the voice, looking up to see her neighbor Mrs. Mavis staring down her nose with a disapproving look. “Melody, what are you doing in the fountain? You’re going to catch a cold like that.”
Melody climbed out with her head high, trying not to think about her new Botticelli leather boots that were now ruined.
“It’s hot out here. I just needed to cool off.” She stepped from the fountain onto the walkway, trying to skirt her way around the nosy woman. But no, Mrs. Mavis blocked her way.
“Melody, it is not appropriate for a woman like you to go around dressed like—like that, especially after fooling around in our fountain.” Her brows drew together in a disapproving frown. “Look at yourself. You’re flashing your goods to everyone in that shirt.”
Melody glanced down and yep, sure enough with her white top soaking wet, her nipples poked at the material for all to see. Why did it have to be a big deal? It’s not like the world would end because Melody Evans’s hardened nips were visible.
“You needn’t worry, Mrs. Mavis, I’m headed home now to change.” Frustrated with the woman’s insistence on butting into her life, she wrapped her arms around her waist, effectively pulling the shirt tighter. “If you’ll excuse me, I’d like to get dry.” She’d tried to hold the sarcasm, she really had, but her meddlesome neighbor never let up. Mrs. Mavis glared. Her face flushed red and Melody thought smoke might billow from the woman’s ears any second.
“Ooh—” Mrs. Mavis’s breath swooshed and she took two steps back. “You’re a naughty girl.” Melody stood back up, shaking her head.
“Mrs. Mavis, you have no idea.” She stepped to the left, and this time Mrs. Mavis let her pass. The annoying woman gave her a hard time every chance she got, so of course, she couldn’t resist giving a little back whenever she could. Hell, it probably gave her something to talk about at her women’s group each week. She could just hear it now.
The devil has a hold on that one. Watch out for her; she’s on the highway to hell for sure.
Melody laughed all the way back to her apartment, shaking her head and sashaying her hips. She stopped and admired her fire engine red door before going in. The neighbors had gone ballistic when she’d painted it. However, five hundred extra dollars to her landlord last month had gotten her the permission she needed to paint it any damn color she wanted. But what really chapped their uptight asses was the new pitchfork doorknocker she had added just last week. She couldn’t help herself. It was too easy.
She eased into her apartment, soaking in the heat as it flashed across her chilled skin. With a little twist of power, she turned on the stereo that sat on her dining-room table. The whole place flooded with the blaring rock and roll of AC/DC belting out “You Shook Me All Night Long.” Her heartbeat picked up, matching the tempo of the song as she removed the wet T-shirt and tossed it to the laundry pile in the corner. Her hips wiggled to the beat as she shimmied out of the tight wet skirt and added it to the pile. She kept the heat set at a comfortable one hundred and four degrees, and it warmed her while she removed her boots and peeled off her ruined thigh-highs. Ever since she became a demon, she couldn’t keep warm enough. That was one of the few things she enjoyed when making trips down there.
Naked, she danced around the room, forgetting her responsibilities and focusing on the thrumming need between her legs. Her fingers smoothed across the baby soft skin of her belly to the nest of blond curls covering her sex. She delved through the wet folds and rubbed the hood of her clit with the pad of her fingertips, arching into her hand, reaching for more friction. The music, the heat, the sensations all swirled in her head leading her down the wicked path of self-indulgence she loved so much. She kneaded her hard clit between her thumb and forefinger, rough the way she needed, and moisture flooded her pussy, coating her fingers.
Sensual energy buzzed through her blood as her climax approached. The music pounded in her veins, heightening the pleasure. With her free hand, she pinched and massaged her nipples, alternating between her breasts.
“Oh yes. Yes!” Finally.
As her body shook with a small tremor signaling the imminent explosion, a cold freezing blast struck her full force, halting her hands and sensations.
Melody, five days. Five souls. Focus.
Harold’s voice in her head brought her crashing back down. Nooo. The satisfaction her soul screamed for had been denied once again. “Aahh,” she snarled in frustration. “Harold, you are such a prick.”
Now cold and disappointed, she headed for the shower. Time to dress for the mission, get a damn soul, and get Harold off her back. While she showered, she contemplated where she would hunt for a victim today. The seven deadly sins weren’t hard to find. She lived in Charlotte, after all. And with Halloween approaching, lots of parties with costume contests, alcohol galore, and wall-to-wall potentials engaging in all sorts of depraved activities were in abundance. In fact, she’d overheard a group of people talking about a new club in town.
Hmmm. What was the name of it? Dungeon something. A new BDSM club. That ought to be interesting. Melody sat down in front of her computer to do a little search and find what she needed.
“If you want blood, you’ve got it.”
Don’t forget to follow the trail to more snippety goodness.
I am back with some Saturday Snippets. Oh how I have missed you.
Today’s theme is reunions and I have chosen a snippet from one of my latest releases, Kane. Kane is the 2nd book in my black cougar trilogy. This is not a family reunion or a long lost lovers reunion. Instead its a reunion of two people who have only been apart for a few weeks and who are struggling with the hatred for each other as well as the annoying desire they seem to have.
Excerpt:
One black-booted foot entered a few seconds before he peered around the door. When he didn’t see her he pushed inside a little bit more and took the final step into the room she needed. Without hesitation she started
the chant. Quietly at first.
When in the circle that is mine
Safety’ gone and evil roams
Hold this being from within
So heed this call.
She whispered the words again and again, stronger each time until her voice was loud and clear and Kane stood in the doorway staring at her.
“What have you done?”
She glanced down at his feet and stared. He followed her gaze and a stream of curses flew from his mouth as he realized he’d stepped right into her circle and she’d just bound him to it.
“You bitch.”
Her lips spread into a grin she hoped was as wicked as she felt. “Don’t try foreplay with me, you’ll find yourself neutered faster than you can say that word again.”
“You can’t hold me here.”
His arrogance wiped the smile from her face as her brow arched in his direction. “Hmm, let’s see. You’re stuck there and I’m roaming free. In my book that means I do whatever the hell I want and you can’t do a thing about it.”
A low snarl sounded from his throat as sharp canines peeked from beneath a curled lip. “What do you want then? A chance to beg for your life?”
It would be a cold day in hell before she begged for anything from him, but she thought about his other question. What did she want? Just him dead, right? She looked at him, really looked at him. It had been weeks since she’d seen him last, and unfortunately he looked even better than she remembered. His spiked, short hair had grown out since then and it was messier and in need of a comb, or maybe her fingers running through it.
His eyes, glaring at her, were dark, like coal in anger. She stood too far away to make out the flecks of gold she’d seen before. The grim line of his lips against the square, firm jaw made her want to laugh out loud. He was damned irresistible right now. It wasn’t right for him to look so—so sinful. He made her think of sex. Sex on the floor, sex on the wall, sex damn near any which way she could get it.
She let out a slow, unsteady breath. She had to stop thinking about him like that; the time for fun was long gone.
“I’m tired of playing with you, cat. It’s time to end this.”
“What exactly is this?” His hands gestured around them. “You’re a criminal, Lara. One who now has a death sentence against her.”
“I’m not the one who deserves to die.” Her anger fired hot and she practically spat at him. “You and yours are the only criminals as far as I’m concerned. You’re just afraid for someone to finally expose you for what you really are.” She turned away from him. What she felt when she looked at him and what she knew were at odds, and it drove her crazy. Nerve endings sizzled as desire warred with the facts her brain wouldn’t let her forget.
“You aren’t making any sense. Make me understand what this is all about.”
She whirled back around and stalked across the room, careful not to get too close to the circle, which could weaken. “Tell me something, Kane. Before you kill, do you even take the time to learn something about your victim?”
“What the hell kind of question is that? I don’t take lives because I enjoy it. I do it because it has to be done, it’s a duty—a job. Without order and rules our secrets can’t be maintained. And then people like you start hunting us, wanting to kill all of us because of fear of the unknown. We aren’t evil, you know. Hell, I’m standing in a spell you created with black magic, talk about evil. You of all people should understand different. So what exactly is your damage?”
“My damage?” She wanted to reach through the barrier holding him and slap the crap out of him, maybe knock some sense into that pretty boy head of his. What had she been thinking? “How can you be sure you aren’t killing the innocent? Do you ever question the validity and integrity of your precious council?”
“Why should I? Every case is presented and voted on by unbiased members of our clan. It’s their duty to ensure everyone a fair trial and our system has worked well for a very long time.”
“Like with me?” His blind faith burned in her gut worse than a wicked case of indigestion that wouldn’t go away no matter how many antacids you popped.
“I witnessed your treachery with my own eyes. The evidence is cut and dry.” His voice had lowered, and if she didn’t know better she could have sworn she detected a thread of sadness. In fact, now that she thought about it, he didn’t seem all that angry about being trapped. Did he not believe she would really kill him? Would she?
“You’re nothing but a liar. An animal that wouldn’t see the truth if it bit him on the ass.” Power flared through her as the edge of her control frayed.
“That’s right, honey. I’m an animal and right now I can smell just how full of shit you are. You think you can hide your wet little pussy from me? That I can’t sense arousal?”
Lara ground her teeth at his gall. He was baiting her, messing with her head while he came up with a plan, or until she made a mistake and did something stupid. Neither of which would happen. She’d lived for years making these plans with not a shred of doubt, until she’d run into Kane. She met his gaze, searching for a sign of what she didn’t know. Tension filled the room as they both realized this discussion had nowhere to go. Neither believed in the other. Problem for her was she’d suffered doubts and did her best to overcome them. Now,
with him here, her need to kill him had eroded and been replaced with something else. Something softer.
She broke the showdown, unable to stay focused when he looked at her with equal parts—I’m going to kill you, I’m going to fuck you. Instead she watched the serene slash of his lips. He didn’t smile at her, but he quit frowning. Always the level-headed brother, able to take things in stride and move on, or so she’d heard repeatedly.
She imagined those full lips of his would be soft and patient when they pressed up against her skin. That image made her nipples tighten against her t-shirt, and she prayed he wouldn’t notice. He already knew too much. When her thoughts strayed to his neck and chest, the spots she wanted to lick the most, she thought she heard a noise not unlike a purr. A low rumble, so quiet she wondered if she was mistaken.
She had to be. He had hunted her. He wanted—
“Don’t look at me like that. It’s not safe.”
“Like—like what?” Something had gone all wrong. Now that he was here, she felt her control slipping fast.
Another rattling sound came from his chest, louder than before. Damn, he really is purring. Goosebumps rose along her flesh and a shiver trembled down the length of her body before she could stop it.
“Like you want to eat me more than kill me.” He whispered the words so low she leaned in closer to hear them.
Want to read more about Kane? You can read another excerpt on the book page as well as see a brief behind the scenes tidbit from me here.
Don’t forget to follow the trail to all the other snippety goodness.
Yes, I am sooo slack at getting pics downloaded, resized and reuploaded. Ugh.
Anyways…
Day Two started out waaay too early. I think I managed a 10:00 am panel but after staying up until the wee hours of the morning, I was already wiped. lol
I started the day with a fantastic panel from the Smutketeers entitled Sextopia. So I don’t think I need to tell you what that was about. But don’t they look like such a fun group?
Samhain Editor Laurie Rauch, Crystal Jordan, Eden Bradley, Lilli Feisty and R.G. Alexander
I didn’t make it to as many panels as I would have liked but I kept busy meeting people, hanging out in Club RT and general author mayhem.
Late afternoon brought the YA author No So Sweet 16 party which I am so glad I made it to. Not only did they give us all a huge bag of books (my teenagers think I am a hero for this one) but we got an opportunity to chat and meet booksellers while we waited to get the much coveted author autographs. YA is so hot right now, if I didn’t love writing the more adult books I think I’d have to give it a try.
Michelle Rowen
Kelley Armstrong
Richelle Mead
Heather Brewer
Alas, there were many other YA authors in attendance but unfortunately my camera skills are rather suspect as you will see as the posts continue. Oh and please if I have spelled any names wrong feel free to flog me. (I won’t like it at all)
As usually happens day turned to night and we were all transformed into elemental fairies for the much anticipated fairy ball.
I did attempt a not too extravagant fire fairy costume. lol
me and my roommate author Dee Carney
Author Samantha Sommersby and Liquid Silver Publisher Tina Burns
the most creative Author Eden Bradley and stage escort Will Belegon
And no RT Convention is complete without the creativity of a costumed CJ
That’s all the pics I pretty much took for day two. I know I should have taken more but I refer you to my previous statement of my suspect picture taking skills. Where’s my photographer daughter when I need her?
My RT contest is still going on so comment lots because I have at least a couple dozen books being shipped to my house from the convention that I will be giving away.
"“Kane is a fast-paced, scintillating, story that had my heart racing with the turn of every page. The sexual tension between Kane and Lara is like a tsunami that destroys everything in its path when they embrace their sexual desires...”
-Janis, The Black Raven Reviews"
For months now I’ve been writing and writing and writing. And squirelling away some of those books with the promise to revise and edit them when I get time. Yeah, such a bad idea. If I wait until I have time… you know the drill.
